


Luck Be A Lady

by 808abc123



Series: Luck Be A Lady [1]
Category: Lost Girl
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-21
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-02-22 02:11:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2490647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/808abc123/pseuds/808abc123
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lauren Lewis in Las Vegas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Character’s not mine, they belong to Showcase and Lost Girl  
Chapter 1

“Welcome to America’s playground Dr. Lewis.”

Lauren smiled as she stepped out of the private jet onto the tarmac at the small, nondescript airport next to McCarran International. The warm dry heat enveloped her right way and she breathed a sigh of relief at her feeling of being home. Smiling at the young man who helped her down the few steps of the plane she nodded. “Hi Jimmy, how are the kids?”

The young surfer looking kid smiled and nodded. “Real good Dr. Lewis. Right this way I have the limo waiting and Ricky already has your bags loaded. Are we going to the Wynn as usual?”

Lauren shook her head and shifted her designer purse to her other shoulder. “Caesars Jimmy.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Center strip? I’m impressed. Haven’t been there in a while.”

Lauren gave him her award winning smile and winked as she slipped into the limo. Jimmy shut the door for her gently and ran around to the front passenger side of the limo and hopped in next to Ricky, the driver. Lauren sighed as she sat back and enjoyed the cool interior of the Rolls Royce limo that took her on the short drive from the airport to the heart of Las Vegas. As a world famous surgeon and philanthropist Lauren spent her days doing charitable things for people with deep, deep pockets and after opening two clinics in Los Angeles and Washington DC before she turned 35 years old Lauren Lewis was exhausted. So, about seven years ago she started making quarterly trips to various locations that she’d always wanted to visit. Fortunately or unfortunately Las Vegas was the third hot spot she’d checked off her list and from the first time she visited she fell in love with the city. 

Eating, drinking, gaming…something for everyone and Lauren was invested. The first time she was in the city she wasn’t sure how to best do everything she wanted to so she booked a suite at Caesars Palace since it was in the middle of the strip and spent her days wandering around and soaking it all in. During her stay she tried her luck at gambling figuring it was a once in a life visit and she quickly discovered that not only was she good at it but she could use it to run the city. Las Vegas, like other gambling towns, is built on money. Those who have it call the shots and those who don’t go broke trying to get it. Considered a high roller, Lauren quickly gained a reputation and by her third trip to the city she had all the large casino resorts vying for her time and more importantly, her money. 

The more she won the more she loved it and the rush she got from wagering large sums of money per hand or roll of the dice was something she couldn’t replicate, even when successfully completing lifesaving surgeries on the most prominent people in the nation. No, for Dr. Lauren Lewis it was the rush of throwing down a million on craps or running the table at twenty grand a hand at blackjack that got her blood pumping. Not to mention the perks that came along with her and her bankroll, she never wanted for anything while in the city and she knew she could literally walk into any casino in the State of Nevada and get exactly what she wanted.  
ooOOoo  
“King of clubs.”

The dealer looked to her left and motioned for the man in the Armani suit to make his move. He sipped his drink slowly and smirked as he reached for some chips. “Three thousand…”

Bo Dennis rolled her eyes as she sipped her champagne and surveyed the table quietly. Two business men in from New York, one international player from Europe and a pair of ladies that were in town for the charity golf event all surrounded the tall brunette sitting right in front of her. Bo wasn’t sure what Sloan was holding but she could tell by the guy’s body language that he was bluffing. His eyes raked up and down too quickly as compared to when he actually had a made hand and she hoped Sloan caught the minor tell.

“Twelve thousand…”

A smirk graced Sloan Sabbith’s lips as she threw the raise into the pot and waited for the cocky businessman to make a decision. She noticed the subtle hitch in his breathing and the way his ears seemed to turn red ever so slightly as he glanced down at his cards. The queen of diamonds, the nine of clubs, the four of hearts and the king of spades sat on the table between the two and Sloan was pretty certain that right now he was trying to figure out if his set of nines was good enough to win this hand. 

The guy glanced down at his cards one final time and mucked his cards towards the dealer with a shake of his head. “Lucky catch sweetheart.”  
Now normally Sloan never revealed her hand but this arrogant prick had been riding her all night so she decided to have her fun. She gave him a sweet smile as she turned over her cards and winked at him as she raked in the pot worth over sixty grand. “Luck has nothing to do with it handsome.”

The guy slammed his fist on the table and threw back the rest of his scotch as he glared at her seven deuce off suit and pointed at her. “You cheated!”

Sloan rolled her eyes as she tipped the dealer and nodded towards one of her security thugs standing around the edge of the room. “I think I’m done for tonight. Thanks gentlemen, and ladies, always a pleasure.”

The security guy came in and picked up her chips as he followed her to the cage at the far end of the poker room to be deposited into her account. The richest of the rich rarely traveled with cash on hand as the casino’s graciously set up accounts for them to use at their will, as long as the money was spent at the hosting casino of course. Although Sloan usually liked to have large sums of money on hand she wasn’t averse to using the casino as her own personal bank so she often deposited her winnings into the account and using her own cash on hand for her playtime. Bo laughed as she tossed back her remaining champagne and fell into line with Sloan who put and arm around her and smiled. “Good luck charm working as usual.”

Bo shook her head and laughed. “I don’t think you need luck babe.”

Sloan laughed nodded. “Maybe not but having you by my side is never a bad thing.”

Bo rolled her eyes as the pair were walked out of the poker room side by side. The Red Rock Casino was the biggest and best casino resort off the main strip and it was quickly becoming the “it” place to go in Vegas. Located in downtown Summerlin the solitude of the property offered the high rollers some peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas Blvd.

“I heard the girl is back.”

Sloan looked at Bo curiously. “The high roller from California?”

Bo nodded. “Heard she’s in town staying at Caesars.”

Sloan looked confused. “Hmm…interesting.”

Bo smiled and nodded. “I also heard she’s getting into poker. Interested?”

Sloan smiled slowly as she held the door open for Bo as they headed into the elevator. Being a Las Vegas native from the wrong side of town, Sloan grew up playing her way through the circuit and she took great pleasure in the quietness of Red Rock and it was here that she met casino host Bo Dennis. The pair quickly became a couple and once Sloan started making a name for herself as a poker pro she and Bo had practically become Vegas royalty. As heir to a major real estate development company, Bo Dennis also grew up in Las Vegas but she grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth so when she told dear old dad that she wanted to work in a casino he shook his head but ultimately allowed her to do as she pleased.  
However, he wanted his only child to reap the rewards of his hard work so Bo had a trust fund worth at least eight digits waiting for her if and when she needed it. It was Bo’s pedigree though and her strong personality which forced her to be good at everything she did so when she decided to become a host she quickly became one of the best in the industry and made her own money hand over fist.

“How about you get her over here and we’ll see if we can’t give her a few lessons?” Sloan smiled as she backed Bo up against the elevator wall chuckling as the shorter brunette giggled slightly.

“Poach her from another casino?”

A raised eyebrow meant Bo was challenging Sloan and the taller brunette just nodded as she kissed Bo’s neck softly. “Not poaching…just being neighborly. Besides, I thought you were the best. Show me what you got baby.”

Bo laughed and pushed Sloan away as the bell sounded alerting them they were at the penthouse. “Well, if I’m going to get close I’m going to need the bankroll.”

Sloan groaned as she backed up and looked at Bo with amusement. The pair held each other’s gaze for a few seconds before she chuckled and reached into her purse. She handed Bo a hundred grand without blinking an eye and nodded to her. “Don’t make me regret this.”

Bo leaned in for a teasing kiss as she brushed her lips across Sloan’s. “Baby you’ll never regret anything I do. Ever. See you later tonight?”

Sloan nodded and stepped out of the cart. “I’ll be waiting.”

Bo smiled and hit the button to shut the door. She sighed as she took the elevator back down to the ground floor and headed out of the casino. She’d heard about this Lauren Lewis person from other hosts but never actually met her as Bo despised almost everything about the strip. Her father built most of the hotels and it was a constant reminder of what her life was “supposed” to be like instead of the one she had now. She got behind the wheel of her Maserati and headed out of the garage towards Caesars Palace in hopes of meeting Ms. Lewis and catching herself another mark. She was just as good as Sloan at poker and she used her skills to her advantage when she was working the whales on an almost daily basis. Truth be told though she didn’t need to try very hard as her physical beauty usually secured her spot with the rich men and women that she catered to but she had a feeling Lauren would be different. One thing was for sure, like she told Sloan, she was the best and Bo Dennis always got what she wanted.  
ooOOoo  
“Okay Dr. Lewis what will it be tonight?”

Jimmy escorted Lauren upstairs to the discrete high limit room and waited for her to decide what she wanted to do. After the short flight Lauren wanted a calm game to get herself warmed up for the week so she nodded towards the blackjack table. “Fifty on double deck.”

Jimmy nodded and motioned to the pit boss to get Lauren her chips. With an unlimited line of credit due to her more than stable financial situation Lauren had her pick of bankrolls at every game in the casino. As she took a seat a well-dressed redhead walked up with a towel on her arm and a big smile on her face. “What can I get you to drink Dr. Lewis?”

Lauren smiled at her and held up one of the hundred dollar chips from the stacks in front of her. “Bottle of Macallan please Jenny and a bucket of ice.”

The redhead nodded and accepted the chip with a smile as she scurried off to get the drink. Lauren took off her leather jacket and relaxed in the plush seat at the table. The room itself was mostly empty except for a couple playing high limit baccarat a few tables over. Jimmy took up his place at the edge of the room as he always did mostly to keep an eye on Lauren, not that she needed it, but it was his protective nature to ensure his best client was safe at all times.

“Here you go Dr. Lewis.” Jenny sat the bottle and bucket of ice down on the little table next to Lauren and nodded as she went to check on the couple playing baccarat. The dealer smiled at Lauren as the blonde cut the deck and waited for Lauren to place her bets before dealing. Lauren put two thousand dollars on the two spots in front of her and nodded to the dealer to go ahead. It was her first day of the trip so Lauren didn’t feel a need to hit the ground running with the higher bets that she would be placing over the next few days.

After burning the top card the dealer dealt out the two player hands along with her own hand and waited for Lauren to make her decision. Picking up the first two cards Lauren smiled as she looked down at a pair of kings and she tucked the pair of cards under the bet on the right before picking up her cards on the left. She glanced at the seven and the nine she was holding and across the table to the five the dealer was showing and sighed as she tucked those cards under the bet on the left. It was basic strategy but from what Lauren had learned over the years was that basic strategy was safe and conservative and a great way for her to ease into the week of gaming.

“Dealer busts.”

As expected the dealer had a ten to go along with her five and after taking a card, which was a nine, the dealer smiled as she paid Lauren the four grand she’d won and collected the cards. For the next hour or so Lauren continued to play as she worked on the expensive bottle of whiskey and halfway through her second glass of the amber colored liquor her bets had increased to the table maximum and the stacks in front of her had almost tripled. 

She was on a good run and was startled when a gorgeous brunette sat down next to her with a smile. “Mind if I join you?”

Lauren nodded as she took a sip of the alcohol and smiled. “Sure, there’s plenty of room.”

The brunette laughed and set fifty thousand on the table from the hundred large that she had in her bag. “My name is Bo.”

Lauren smiled and extended her hand to meet Bo’s handshake. “Lauren.”

Bo smiled and nodded towards her stack. “Looks like you’re doing pretty good here.”

Lauren shrugged and nodded. “Lucky night I guess.”

Bo laughed and smiled at the dealer who handed her the chips with a raised eyebrow. They all knew who Bo was and the pit boss was suddenly very interested in watching over the game. It wasn’t illegal per se for Bo to be in there hob knobbing with their high roller but it made everyone nervous to see the beautiful host from another property talking to their best client. Not paying any attention to them Bo placed two thousand on the betting spot in front of her and leaned forward giving Lauren quite the view of her assets in the low cut dress she was wearing. “Well hopefully your luck rubs off. I’m still learning this game.”

Lauren laughed as she pushed ten grand out on the two spots in front of her. “Kind of an expensive lesson isn’t it?”

Bo laughed and nodded. “What can I say, I like the rush.”

Lauren licked her lips and nodded as she hummed softly. The alcohol warmed her slightly but the blonde had a ridiculously high tolerance so she knew it would take almost the entire bottle for her to lose her bearings. “Well, good luck.”

Bo smiled as she picked up her cards. “Thanks. Oh hey! Blackjack!” She turned over her cards and Lauren laughed as Bo clapped her hands lightly and accepted the payout of three thousand from the dealer. The brunette looked over at Lauren with a wink and a seductive smile. “Maybe you’re right and it’s a lucky night.”

Lauren chuckled and nodded as she watched the dealer bust. “Maybe so.”

She received the payout from the dealer and offered Bo a glass of the whiskey as they settled in to continue play and soon Lauren found herself in comfortable conversation with Bo who seemed to be one of the typical wealthy people Lauren met in this town. The solitude of the room allowed them to have a free flowing conversation and Lauren found herself enjoying her time with the brunette even though she figured it was a set up. She had an inkling that Bo was associated with the casino somehow but she was pretty sure she knew all of the hosts on the strip which told her she was from off strip and Lauren had done her homework so she made the safe assumption that Bo was from Red Rock, the large casino located about twenty minutes from where they were currently playing.

“So Bo, what do you do?”

Bo coughed and put her five thousand dollar bet out on the spot. “I work in Summerlin.”

Lauren nodded and smiled. “Doing what?”

Bo looked at her with a smile and shrugged. “I work at Red Rock Casino.”

Lauren frowned as she busted on both hands as she drew cards with the dealer showing a ten and sighed at the twenty grand that went back in the dealer’s rack. “How is it out there?”

Bo smiled and tucked her cards after hitting to twenty. “Quiet. Unlike here.”

The dealer glared at her slightly before turning over her cards revealing twenty for herself. Like all the high limit dealers, no one wanted Lauren to play anywhere else as she was not only a high roller, she was also a courteous and generous player who usually tipped very well. Lauren shrugged and put her bets out again with a laugh. “Maybe I’ll check it out.”

Bo nodded as she slid her business card to Lauren. “Give me a call if you’d like to.”

Lauren picked up the card and studied it closely with raised eyebrows. “You’re a host? I knew you folks were well paid, I just didn’t realize just how well that was.” She motioned to the stacks in front of Bo and the brunette shook her head. “Oh no, this is all mine. I’m a fan of poker…these other games seem like a crapshoot but I figure I should learn how to play them right?”

Lauren laughed as she watched the dealer make nineteen which beat her hands of seventeen and eighteen. “Seems like it. So poker huh? Ever play here?”

Bo looked at her carefully as she set out a ten thousand dollar bet. “Once or twice. But I prefer to play at home.”

Lauren looked at her with interest. “Home meaning…”

Bo smiled. “Red Rock. We have a high limit night every few weeks and it’s always worth it.”

Lauren looked at her curiously. “Stakes?”

Bo smirked knowing she had piqued Lauren’s interest. “Hundred thousand minimum buy in. One and two hundred no-limit.”

Lauren’s eyebrows went up. “And when is the next high limit game?”

Bo laughed and pretended to be curious. “Don’t tell me you play poker too?”

Lauren sort of shrugged as she poured herself another drink. “I’m learning.”

Bo smirked again. “Kind of an expensive lesson isn’t it?”

Lauren laughed as her words were thrown back at her. “What can I say I like the rush.”

She winked at Bo as she motioned over to Jimmy. “It was nice to meet you Bo Dennis but I think I’m going to turn in for the night.” She reached into her purse and pulled out one of her own business cards. “But give me a call if there’s a game sometime soon. I’m here for a week.”

Bo accepted the business card with a smile. “Will do…Doctor Lewis.” She nodded to the dealer signaling she was done as well and the pit boss sighed as the dealer colored up the eighty six thousand Bo had in chips. Not only had Bo successfully interested Lauren in going to an outside casino she’d taken them for over thirty grand. Jimmy separated out the original fifty thousand in chips to repay Lauren’s marker and carried the two hundred grand over to the cage to deposit back into Lauren’s account. The pair rose and both tipped the dealer well, giving her five and fifteen thousand in respect to their stacks and Jimmy gritted his teeth slightly as he followed the two ladies out of the high limit area. 

Bo nodded to Lauren as she paused at the cage to turn in her chips for cash and gave her a warm smile. “I hope to hear from you soon Lauren.”  
The blonde smiled as she led Jimmy out of the room. “I’m sure you will.”

Lauren winked and Bo laughed as she turned to the cashier who was counting out her money and sighed happily. Jimmy led Lauren towards the elevator and hit the button to call the cart for her. “Would you like room service Dr. Lewis?”

Lauren shook her head and smiled. “It’s okay Jimmy, I’ll be fine. Here…go home and I’ll be fine tomorrow. I’ll call you if I need you okay?” Lauren ad reached into her purse and handed him ten grand with a smile and he bowed slightly. 

“Goodnight Doctor.”

Lauren laughed. “Goodnight Jimmy. Say hi to Karen and the kids for me.”

Jimmy nodded and smiled as Lauren got onto the elevator. He waited until the doors closed before heading back to the high limit area hoping to find Bo to tell her to back off but unfortunately for him she had left apparently. Sighing to himself Jimmy tucked the very generous tip inside his pocket and headed to the worker lot to head home for the night.  
ooOOoo  
“Babe? You still up?”

“How’d it go?”

Bo smiled as Sloan walked out from the bedroom of the penthouse suite. It was obvious that she was only wearing a thin silk robe and Bo’s mouth began to water as she started riding herself of her dress. “I think she’s interested in a big game. Oh and I also made thirty six grand in the process.”

Sloan grinned and ran her hands lightly over Bo’s now exposed shoulders. “What’s she like?”

Bo moaned as Sloan’s long fingers traced along her bra and up her neck lightly. “Nice, sweet, drop dead gorgeous.”

Sloan growled as she pulled Bo close. “So just your type then?”

Bo laughed and wrapped her hands around Sloan’s neck. “No baby, not in the slightest. Why would I want her when I have everything I need right here?”

Sloan grinned and nodded as she pulled Bo in for a deep kiss. Both women moaned into one another as Sloan guided them towards the bedroom. No other words needed to be exchanged as they turned in for the night and soon the cries of pleasure filled the quietness of the expansive suite. Just like every other night they were together it was a memorable one leaving both women breathless and welcoming the sleep that quickly overtook them.


	2. Chapter 2

Character’s not mine, they belong to Showcase and Lost Girl  
Chapter 2

“Honey I’m home…”

Lauren laughed as she exited the bathroom in her luxury suite and became immediately engulfed in a huge hug. The tall blonde standing before her had become quite a good friend over the years as well as a more than adequate bed companion so whenever the doctor was in town and she felt like having company she called on her company. Being from old money, Tamsin’s family owned a lot of the land that the new conglomerate casino’s sat on so she literally never had to work for anything in her life. However, not being satisfied with just being rich and pretty she used her smarts as a consultant for many of the businesses in the area and was the best at what she did. Her services weren’t cheap and she had a ruthless business sense that often left her in good standing for accomplishing what she set out to do from the time she set out to do it. Tamsin didn’t break easily and her strong personality was a good match to the gentler and reserved nature of the doctor, yet another reason the pair seemed to get along so well.

“I see you had no trouble getting your key?”

Tamsin shook her head as she took a seat on the couch making herself comfortable. “Nope, but I’m starting to think the little blonde at the desk hates me.”

Since Lauren always stayed in the suite or penthouse when she was in town if anyone wanted to visit her they needed a room key to access the elevators. Lauren always made sure she left a key at the desk for Tamsin and after a few trips most of the registration staff recognized Tamsin and knew if she was there it meant Lauren was there as well. It wasn’t standard protocol by any means but since Lauren was such a good client they allowed her things that no other guest would receive.

Lauren laughed as she sat down next to Tamsin with a raised eyebrow. “And what did you do to her exactly?”

Tamsin shrugged and rolled her eyes. “I have no idea. So…doctor…are you in town for business or pleasure?”

The smirk on Tamisn’s face betrayed her effort to sound seductive and Lauren licked her lips as she leaned in slightly. “Isn’t it always pleasure?”

Tamsin grinned and put a hand on Lauren’s thigh lightly. “Well is there anything I can help with?”

With a laugh Lauren stood up and shook her head. “After we eat. Come on.”

Tamsin groaned slightly as she leaned back on the couch. “That’s what I was trying to do. Okay okay…let’s go doctor.” She stood up and offered her arm which Lauren accepted as they headed towards the elevator. Once downstairs the pair spent the morning and early afternoon eating and shopping at the Forum shops. Even though it was mostly touristy stuff Lauren loved the atmosphere and could literally spend hours wandering around looking at all the ridiculous things people spent their money on.

Deciding to give Tamsin some reprieve the pair stopped for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and after being seated and having their orders taken Tamsin finally peered over at her companion. “So how are things Lauren? Still with that annoying whatever her name was?”

Lauren smirked and rolled her eyes as she sipped her peach bellini. “Her name was Nadia and no, we aren’t together anymore.”

Tamsin laughed and sipped her beer. “About damn time. I figured you for someone who wouldn’t settle and it sounds like she was just that…you settling.”

Lauren scoffed and played with her napkin. “Tell me how you really feel. Anyway, she got an offer to go on an expedition in Africa and it was probably good timing since things weren’t working out. She left six months ago and I’ve been keeping busy ever since.”

Tamsin studied her thoughtfully. “Does that mean you’ve been working 20 hour days again? You know, for someone who doesn’t really need to work anymore you kind of kill yourself doing it.”

Lauren raised an eyebrow at the blonde sitting across from her. “Considering the source I’m not going to take offense to that.” They shared a knowing laugh as Lauren’s phone beeped indicating she had a message.

Tomorrow night, $100K, interested?

Lauren smirked as she typed her response. Maybe

She set her phone down and looked up at Tamsin who was looking at her with a curious smile. “My my, does the doctor have a new interest?”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “Do you know Bo Dennis?”

Tamsin choked on her drink slightly as she looked at Lauren with amusement. “Don’t tell me she finally got to you?”

Lauren looked surprised as she shook her head. “Finally got to me?”

Tamsin sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Bo has a reputation. But yes, I know her.”

What can I do to convince you?

The suggestive tone of the text was blatantly obvious but Lauren just shook her head as she replied. When I think of something I’ll let you know.  
She set her phone down and waived her hand nonchalantly. “Well seems she’s inviting me to a high limit poker game at her casino. Interested?”

Tamsin smirked and nodded. “I’ll bring the bubbly.”

They laughed and enjoyed their food that had arrived using the rest of the meal to catch up on nonsense. After lunch and another few hours of shopping, Tamsin told Lauren she wanted to get her gamble on so the pair of ladies headed upstairs to the high limit room where Tamsin made a beeline for the craps table. It was her game of choice and Lauren always had so much fun playing with Tamsin who she considered way too into the game for her own good. Tamsin carried accounts at most of the major casinos as well since she lived in the prestigious Spanish Trails estate and she never hesitated to scratch the itch whenever the need arose.

“Good afternoon ladies…”

Lauren smiled and nodded at the pit boss who greeted them as soon as they entered. She motioned to Tamsin who gave Mike, the pit boss, a warm smile. “How’s it going Mike?”

He smiled. “Wonderful. What can I get you ladies set up on?”

Tamsin motioned to the table in front of them. “Five hundred please.”

Mike looked at Lauren and she nodded. “Same.”

He nodded to the dealer who was seated at the table to begin getting their chips out. Mike had Tamsin and Lauren sign off on the withdrawal slip and soon they were ready to go. Six dice were pushed in front of Tamsin for her to select two from to roll. After she put her five thousand bet down on the pass line she picked up the dice and rubbed them on the table for good luck. Lauren mirrored Tamsin’s action with the bet and waited for her friend to toss the dice off the table at the opposite end.

“Seven.”

Both ladies smiled as they collected their bet and Tamsin was presented the dice to roll again. She rubbed it on the table quickly and tossed it gently to the other side where they bounced off the far wall of the table. “Point is ten.”

Tamsin picked up a few ten thousand dollar chips and placed them in the area marked come after putting twenty five grand in chips behind her pass bet for her odds. Lauren placed twenty five for odds as well but she only put out twenty grand on the come as per her usual betting style. The dice were passed back to Tamsin and after rolling a five Tamsin threw fifty grand on the table. “Odds on the five.”

Lauren put up her odds as well and both ladies placed another come bet before Tamsin was handed back the dice. She went through her routine and threw the dice lightly where they bounced off the other wall. “Seven out.”

“Fuck…”

Tamsin shook her head as the bets were cleared off the table and Lauren just smiled as she placed her pass line bet. “Can’t win them all darling.”

The taller blonde was about to answer when her phone rang and after glancing down she made a motion to Lauren that she needed to take the call. Being a consultant meant she was always on the clock and this was a large client of hers that she was pretty certain needed help with their current acquisition they’d been planning. She walked out of the high limit room on her cell phone leaving Lauren alone at the table to continue on.

“Would you like to wait Dr. Lewis?”

Lauren shrugged as she glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t know how long she’ll be. It’s fine.”

She smiled warmly at the stick man who nodded and pushed the six dice over to her where Lauren bent down to pick out the two she wanted to use. She didn’t hear the footsteps approach and when the other person spoke she jumped slightly.

“Room for one more?” A tall brunette stood to the side of the rail next to Lauren who gave her a neutral smile. “Sure.”

Mike walked over and gave her a warm smile in welcome. “Sloan, it’s been a while. Glad to see you still know your way over here.”

The brunette, Sloan apparently, laughed and nodded. “What can I say Mike, I miss the strip every once in a while.”

As they were chatting Lauren couldn’t help but notice how impeccably dressed the woman was and how gorgeous she was behind the subtle attempt to not stand out. Dark brown hair and brown eyes, a slim frame and an unassuming smile, Sloan was no doubt beautiful but to most, she wouldn’t be picked out in a crowd. However Lauren could see the fire in her eyes and something about them drew her in and got her lost in the possibility they presented.

“Dr. Lewis?”

The stick man looked at Lauren with a gentle smile and she chuckled lightly in embarrassment as she picked up the dice. She briefly glanced down at the table and notice Sloan had one hundred grand on the pass line making Lauren pause slightly. “That’s quite the bet.”

Sloan nodded and leaned on the rail slightly. “It is. So here’s hoping you don’t break me.”

Lauren licked her lips as Sloan’s double meaning wasn’t lost on her and she sighed quietly before picking up the dice. Rolling for large wagers wasn’t something unfamiliar to the blonde but she actually found herself nervous in this mystery woman’s presence. She glanced at Sloan briefly before throwing the dice to the other wall.

“Point is Four.”

Lauren placed her odds behind her pass bet along with her come bet as she glanced at Sloan noticing the woman put almost a half million in odds behind her pass bet before placing a hundred grand in the come bet area. With a raise of her eyebrow Sloan waited for Lauren to pick up the dice and as she did so Lauren actually found herself nervous to make her roll. She took a breath and threw them lightly down the table hoping she didn’t roll a seven and rob this woman of large amounts of money.

“Nine.”

Backing her odds on her come bet Lauren placed another come bet and looked on incredulously as Sloan did the same. The women exchanged no words as Lauren picked up the dice again and successfully threw another nine earning her a beaming smile from Sloan. “Keep it up and you may be my new lucky charm.”

Lauren blushed at Sloan’s words, something she never did, and tucked her hair behind her ear as she picked up the dice. “I’ve never been lucky.”

Sloan gave her a predatory smile and leaned slightly closer to the blonde. “First time for everything right?”

Lauren laughed and nodded as she picked up the dice. “Let’s just see what happens.”

Sloans words may have proved to be true as Lauren held the dice for another twenty minutes before Tamsin returned with a scowl on her face. “Fucking morons I tell you.”

Lauren chuckled as she picked up her winnings from hitting her point and got ready to throw her come out roll again. Tamsin looked down at her stack and gave her an impressed smile as she quickly counted the almost million and a half the blonde had in front of her. She finally noticed the third member at the table and turned to her with a fake smile. “Well well, Sloan Sabbith. What rock did you crawl out from under?”

Sloan looked at her with an even smile. “Tamsin, nice to see you again.”

The tall blonde laughed and stood at her full height in a subtle way of intimidating the brunette. “Well it’s been a while since you decided to grace us with your presence.”

Sloan scoffed. “Maybe I’m just getting bored with the same old shit day in and day out.”

Tamsin smirked and took up her place on the other side of Lauren trapping her between the two women who were quickly starting to bear their teeth. She coughed lightly as she glanced at Tamsin with a semi annoyed look. “Let it go Tamsin.”

The tall blonde huffed and nodded as she threw fifty grand down on the pass line. Lauren’s eyebrows went up in surprise at her increased bet and the other blonde just shrugged. “I’m catching up. Go ahead.”

Shaking her head with a brief laugh Lauren rolled the dice and all three ladies cheered when Lauren rolled an eleven. The dice were pushed back to her again and she picked them up this time rolling a ten giving them the point. As usual Tamsin and Lauren put their come bets out but in a bold move Sloan dropped one million dollars to back her pass bet and looked at Lauren patiently. Tamsin noticed the bet and rolled her eyes. “That’s a bit aggressive don’t you think Sloan?”

The brunette smiled and kept her gaze on Lauren. “Maybe I have confidence in Dr. Lewis here.”

Not to be outdone Tamsin dropped the remainder of her money as odds tipping the scales in her favor by a few thousand dollars and both women now looked at Lauren somewhat expectantly. The short blonde raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything as she picked up the dice and took a deep breath. She knew there was much more at stake here than just dollar figures as both her good friend and the newcomer were both vying to prove they were invested in her, but the thing she didn’t know was why.

“Eight.”

Lauren breathed a slight sigh of relief as she lived to see another roll and Tamsin huffed as she waited for Lauren to roll again. Lauren could literally feel the hatred rolling off the blonde but she had no idea why. She knew pretty much everything about Tamsin as the tall blonde was pretty much black and white so for her to have held back some secret about this stranger stuck Lauren as odd and she wanted to know what the deal was. She picked up the dice and before she threw it out she glanced at Tamsin with a smirk before turning to Sloan with the dice in her hands. “For luck?”  
Sloan smiled and blew on the dice lightly before Lauren smiled and gave the dice a kiss before throwing them out. The trio waited with baited breath for the stick man to announce the roll.

“Ten. Winner.”

All three ladies cheered with their massive wins and Lauren breathed a sigh of relief that she’d hit her point. All the adrenaline in her body started to make her light headed and she decided enough was enough. “Okay ladies, I’ve had fun but I’m going to stop while I’m ahead.”

Tamsin looked at her incredulously. “Seriously? Lauren, no one stops when they’re ahead.”

Sloan leaned in and looked at Tamsin evenly. “Maybe she’s right. It’s been a good afternoon, can I buy you ladies dinner?”

Lauren but her lip as she looked at Tamsin with raised eyebrows. “Sounds fun?”

Tamsin scoffed but waived her hand. She had no idea what Sloan was up to but she didn’t want to hang around to find out. Tamsin wasn’t the jealous type per se but she didn’t like sharing Lauren’s attention if she had to and she didn’t like Sloan mostly because the brunette had won over Bo’s affection when they competed for it years ago. Tamsin grew up knowing who Bo was as their fathers were often doing business together and the blonde had always had a thing for Bo but those feelings were never returned leaving her in the dreaded friendzone. When Sloan and Bo had gotten together the brunette wasted no time in rubbing it in Tamsin’s face and the blonde has held a deep hatred for her ever since. Tamsin shook her head and gave Lauren a tight smile. “You go on ahead, I have business to attend to. Call me tomorrow?”

Lauren nodded and smiled. “Okay, bye hun.”

Tamsin smiled and hugged Lauren awkwardly before giving Sloan a tight smile and turning on her heel. She had Mike deposit most of her money back into her account walking out of the casino with twenty grand in her pocket. Sloan smiled broadly as Mike took care of her and Lauren’s money as she guided the blonde out of the high roller area. “Feel like anything in particular?”

Lauren shook her head and smiled. “Your town, you pick.”

Sloan nodded and gently guided Lauren out of the casino into an awaiting town car outside a private exit. She gave the driver instruction to head to the MGM Grand and soon Lauren found herself being escorted to a secluded table in what she could tell was an elegant restaurant. The name Joel Robuchon caught Lauren’s attention and she recognized the name of the world class French chef.

“Good evening ladies my name is Andrew and I will be caring for you this evening…”

Sloan smiled at the waiter and Lauren looked on impressed as she rattled off a slew of French that Lauren caught bits and pieces of understanding enough to know Sloan was ordering a tasting menu for them that consisted of multiple courses. The waiter responded in kind and Sloan’s gentle laugh entranced Lauren as the waiter departed with promise to bring the bottle of wine that she’d ordered. Lauren leaned back in her chair and looked around at the exclusive restaurant with a raised eyebrow. “This isn’t quite what I’d had in mind when you suggested dinner.”

Sloan laughed and sipped her water. “Would you rather have had the buffet at Bellagio?”

Lauren shook her head and leaned forward slightly letting the single candle on the table illuminate her face in a soft light which was contrasted by the darkness of the restaurant. “I feel underdressed.”

Sloan glanced down at her in a not so discrete manner. “I think you look fine.”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “You’re sweet but misguided.”

Sloan’s eyebrow went up in question. “Oh? How so?”

Lauren looked at her carefully. “Beautiful woman like yourself, I can’t imagine it was coincidence that we met.”

Sloan laughed and nodded. “Call it luck?”

The waiter returned at that moment to present the wine that Sloan had selected and after providing her a taste she nodded and he poured their glasses quietly before setting the wine down on the little table he’d brought with him as to not clutter the table. Sloan picked up her glass and swirled the dark liquid around before taking a sip and setting it down. “The wine is my favorite and from the private reserve not normally distributed. I hope you don’t mind but I’ve chosen a few wine’s for us instead of the pairings normally accompanying the courses.”

Lauren looked impressed but didn’t say anything. The fact that Sloan not only knew the menu without having to look at it as well as knew what was in the private reserve told her the brunette frequented here often. Lauren shook her head and picked up her own glass swirling it around before smiling. “I trust you.”

Sloan grinned and held up her glass in toast. “That’s good. Trust is hard to come by.”

Lauren nodded. “And harder to justify.”

Sloan smirked and caught the meaning of her words. She tipped her crystal glass towards Lauren with a gentle smile. “To trust.”

Lauren laughed and clinked her glass lightly. “To trust.”

They sipped their wine and settled in as the first few courses came to the table in the perfect intervals. Andrew explained each dish to them in great detail and answered their questions about the food as they let their palate be consumed in the most wonderful of dishes. There was a moment of slight embarrassment for Lauren however when she almost fell out of her seat at the bread cart and Sloan laughed appreciatively at how much Lauren was enjoying herself. It had been a long time since Sloan was around someone who was so carefree, even her nights out with Bo felt too rigid at times and she became more comfortable at seeing how at ease the blonde was.

“Pace yourself doctor…we have a few more courses coming. And don’t forget dessert.”

Lauren groaned slightly as they moved on to another bottle of wine after what she counted as ten courses. It seemed like a lot of food but Lauren realized she was only eating small increments with each course and she was surprised to see she wasn’t as stuffed as she thought she would be after ten courses of food. An hour and six courses later Lauren was thoroughly in love with the food and the atmosphere and she made a mental note to have Jimmy put this restaurant on her list of must do’s while in town. She was also thoroughly enjoying the company she was in and she found herself wondering more about this stranger than she probably should have.

Lauren’s number one rule regarding Vegas was to not start anything romantic and Tamsin didn’t count since she was more friend than lover but Lauren felt a draw to Sloan that she’d never felt before. Perhaps it was the ten thousand dollar bottle of wine she had just helped Sloan finish off or perhaps it was the fact that someone was actually able to wine and dine her, literally, but Lauren was hooked.

“So, Sloan…will I see you again while I’m here?”

Sloan sat back sipping her wine and sighed contentedly. “Well that depends on you. I don’t normally visit the strip.”

Lauren nodded and looked at her thoughtfully. Their conversation had been mostly superficial as Lauren was almost afraid to dig deeper and find herself let down if she knew Sloan was married or something like that. She took a chance and decided to put herself out there this time, hoping it wasn’t a bad move. “Somewhere else then?”

Sloan grinned as she signed the bill authorizing the restaurant to take the tab out of her account. “I’ll send a car for you tomorrow.”

Lauren looked at her playfully. “So that’s it? You whisk me away to an unknown destination?”

Sloan laughed as she stood up slowly. “I thought you were adventurous Dr. Lewis?”

Lauren nodded and stood as well. “I am. Okay I will see you tomorrow then.”

Sloan smiled and nodded as she led Lauren out of the restaurant and back into the town car. They chatted throughout the short drive back to Lauren’s hotel and Sloan found herself genuinely enjoying her time with Lauren, something she hadn’t expected. Things were much easier when she just viewed the blonde as a mark that she was to take down, but the more time she engaged with the young doctor the more she found herself forgetting what the task at hand was. She dropped Lauren back at Caesars and sat back against the plush seat in the expensive automobile with a frown on her face. She hadn’t counted on Lauren being beautiful and charming and she found herself confused as to what she wanted to do in this situation as carrying out her plan to clean her out at the table now felt…dirty. The car pulled up to the private entrance at Red Rock where Bo was waiting for her with a smile. “Welcome back.”

Sloan smiled and followed her quietly into the hotel. She waited until they were in the elevator before turning to Bo with a smile. “Send a car for her tomorrow.”

Bo raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly. “Do I even want to know?”

Sloan laughed and ran her finger down Bo’s neck to her exposed skin just above her bra. “Nothing to worry about baby. But I have had quite a bit of wine and I could use some help getting to bed.”

Bo smirked and nodded as the elevator sounded alerting them they were at the floor. Bo followed her into the penthouse suite and Sloan sighed as she found herself in bed with the sexy brunette that she loved dearly. One thing was certain though, as much as she loved Bo, Lauren Lewis had somehow wormed herself into her psyche and now she was looking forward to seeing the doctor more than ever. She found herself in a dangerous position and as Sloan fell asleep she wasn’t sure who the owner was of the gorgeous brown eyes she couldn’t get out of her head.


	3. Chapter 3

Character’s not mine, they belong to Showcase and Lost Girl  
Chapter 3

“So…have a good night?”

Tamsin peered at her friend over her cup of coffee. The pair were sitting in the lobby area waiting for the car that was going to be sent for the doctor. Bo had called the doctor earlier that morning to invite her to Red Rock for the day and the blonde agreed as she was thankful for the distraction from thinking about her dinner companion from last night. It had been a restless night for the doctor and she was looking forward to spending the day engaged in some fun rather than worry about what could or could not happen as far as Sloan was concerned. Lauren rolled her eyes and nodded as she took a slow sip of the warm caffeinated liquid. “Nothing exciting. We went for dinner and she dropped me back here.”

Tamsin nodded. “No wine, dine and sixty-nine?”

Lauren huffed. “Okay what is your problem with her?”

The taller blonde shrugged as she set her coffee down. “She’s fine. And you know she’s dating someone right?”

Lauren sighed internally but didn’t outwardly react to this piece of information that confirmed her suspicions. “And why would I care about that exactly?”

Tamsin chuckled and shook her head. “Maybe you don’t. But from where I was sitting yesterday I recognized the Lewis charm being turned on…slightly.”

Lauren shook her head. “Jealous?”

Tamsin choked on her coffee slightly. “Of the rich bitch? Hardly.”

Lauren shook her head and laughed as she looked at her friend who appeared to be sulking slightly. The town car pulled up to the private entrance and Tamisn grumbled as she followed Lauren out of the hotel and into the awaiting automobile. The pair were quickly en route to the casino on the outskirts of the city and Tamsin looked at Lauren with slight curiosity. “So…what made you decide to try Red Rock anyone?”

Lauren sighed and leaned back against the seat. “Just trying something different. That okay with you?”

The short tone to her voice was not lost on Tamsin who just sighed and nodded. “I’m sorry Lauren, I’m not trying to be difficult.”

Lauren turned to look at her and gave her a small smile. “I know. And I’m sorry I’m just a bit tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

Tamsin smirked and scooted slightly closer to her. “You should have called, I’m sure we could have found something to do to put you to bed.”

A much needed laugh was shared between the pair and Lauren just shook her head at her friend’s suggestive comment. The car pulled into the back entrance of the casino and Bo stood at the curb greeting the pair with a smile. “Welcome to my casino Dr. Lewis. And Tamsin…Tamsin?”

The taller blonde laughed and gave Bo a tight smile. “Bo Dennis. Nice to see you again.”

Bo groaned somewhat internally as she kept the genuine smile plastered on her face. She hadn’t fathomed that Lauren would bring Tamsin with her so it was going to turn out to be quite an eventful day if the feisty blonde was around. Lauren gave Bo a sincere smile and nodded as she followed the brunette into to the gaming area. “This is a gorgeous property Bo.”

The brunette smiled and led the pair onto the casino floor. “It really is. So this is the main gaming area with the table games in the middle of the floor surrounding the bar. The various denomination of slots extends outwards from the tables with the exception of the high limit slots which is directly across the main walkway here. We have various eating venues in our food court and a bowling alley down that way.” Bo pointed out the various things she was talking about as she continued leading them through the main casino floor. Lauren looked around and noticed the almost calmer atmosphere in the establishment.

The trio continued walking to a set of elevators behind the main entrance where Bo hit he button for them to head upstairs. Once inside she turned to the pair with a smile. “The high limit room is upstairs as is the poker room. I’ll take you up to the poker room first and if you like we can head to the high limit room after.”

Lauren just nodded and smiled as she gave Bo a slightly weary look. No doubt the woman was breathtakingly beautiful and she carried herself with the right amount of class and charm to be tempting to any man or woman on earth. And to be honest, she would have been exactly the kind of woman Lauren would have chased after when she was younger but for some reason Lauren didn’t feel more than the physical appreciation of a beautiful woman for Bo and it puzzled her. She shook her head as she followed Bo out of the elevator and into the poker room that seemed to be much livelier than the main floor downstairs. A quick sweep of the room told Lauren there was a fair mix of local players among the tourists who were in town to try their hand at real poker. Lauren recognized a few pros scattered among the group and was surprised the pros weren’t drawing a bigger crowd than they were.

“So right now we have 3/6 and 4/8 limit hold em, 2/4 pot limit Omaha and one table with 2/4 no limit hold em.” Bo told the pair after a quick glance at the board. She knew these games wouldn’t interest Lauren but she didn’t want to seem pushy about getting the doctor up to the private poker game going on in the penthouse.

“How big do the games normally get?” Lauren looked at Bo patiently and ignored Tamsin who looked on with boredom on her face. Sure there was action in the room but given the table stakes she wouldn’t walk out of there with more than a few thousand dollars and that wasn’t worth her time at this point.

Bo smiled and motioned to the board. “Standard big game is 10/20 no limit and a 4/8 pot limit Omaha on the weekends. Average buy in for the hold em is five thousand and two thousand for the Omaha game.”

Tamsin didn’t even try to hide her disdain as she snorted. “We came all the way down here for five thousand?”

Bo bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to hold back a snarky remark. She’d never gotten along with the snarky blonde but she wasn’t going to let old disagreements get between her and her job, which at the moment was to get Lauren upstairs. “I promised Lauren a big game and don’t worry, I can deliver. Follow me ladies.”

Bo led the pair out of the room and down the hall to another elevator. Bo put what appeared to be a special key card into the slot and hit the penthouse button with a smirk on her face. “For our special guests we put on a very special game. No limit hold em with a one hundred thousand buy in. The big game being the half million dollar buy in but those are rare. This is an invite only game and isn’t staked by the house so there’s no rake. We have one table going right now and there’s spots for both of if you’d like.”

Tamsin looked at Lauren with curiosity as she was surprised her friend had accepted this prestigious invite right off the bat. For as long as Tamsin had lived in Vegas she knew about these secret games the casinos hosted for their high rollers but she’d never gotten an invite on her own. Probably because she didn’t spend too much time in the poker room but the blonde could hold her own and has sat with the best of the best and walked out with a larger bankroll than when she’d started.

The elevator sounded alerting them that they’d reached their destination and Bo led them past the two armed security guards who stood at the entrance. She smiled as she entered the room alerting the others to their presence. “Gentlemen, and ladies, welcome our new guests.”

The players at the table turned to face the pair who looked on in curiosity as the somber atmosphere of the high limit game engulfed them. Lauren scanned the players at the table and her heart stopped when she saw the person sitting on the opposite side across from the two open seats. The doctor made her way over to the table and took a seat carefully. “Sloan…”

The brunette smiled and nodded as she glanced at Tamsin briefly before looking back at Lauren. “Doctor…”

Bo got Lauren and Tamsin settled making sure the cocktail waitress in the room got their drinks and that they were both situated with chips. Both ladies fell in line with the other players and exchanged fifty thousand in chips while keeping fifty thousand in cash on the table. There were two men in tailored Italian suits to Lauren’s left between her and Sloan and two younger men sitting to Tamsin’s left who was sitting at the open seat next to Lauren. The doctor figured these were some kind of techy nerdy overnight millionaire types who were online players trying their hand at the real deal. After making sure the pair were set Lauren watched Bo walk over and take the open seat between Sloan and the dealer. Bo set her own rack down on the table and smiled at the pair warmly. “Shall we?”

Lauren looked at Tamsin who raised an eyebrow. “You sure you want to do that Bo?”

The brunette laughed and put and arm around the back of Sloan’s chair. “I’ll be fine Tamsin. Isn’t that right baby?”

Sloan looked from Tamsin to Bo to Lauren with a smile. “Absolutely.”

Lauren seethed in her chair at the obvious gloating the pair across from her were doing at getting her to the casino and into their game. She quickly realized she’d been tag teamed by the couple to get her there. She looked over at Tamsin who was looking at her with a smirk and felt her own lip curl slightly in return. The pair may be an odd match but when they were on the same wavelength the two blondes were notorious for being quite the headache and today seemed like a good time for them to sync up and have a little fun.

Lauren didn’t say anything else as she posted the big blind and waited for her cards. She wasn’t going to play the mind games with the pair, at least not yet, and she was going to prove to the brunettes just how tough she really was. They took her for an easy mark, a rich woman with no real skill and she was going to show them what a mistake it was to underestimate her.

On her left Tamsin smirked as she looked at her cards knowing exactly what that look from Lauren really meant. The fellow blonde was in the mood to have some fun and Tamsin sat back to get comfortable knowing they were going to be in for a long day. If it was fun that her friend was after she would do everything in her power to ensure it was just that.  
ooOOoo  
“Okay ladies…it’s been fun but when the money’s gone it’s time for me to leave as well.”

The man, Doug, who turned out to be an oil tycoon from Texas stood up and bowed to the table slightly. The group had been engaged in the high stake game for the last few hours and after the two young kids departed when Lauren and Tamsin took them for all they were worth rather quickly the group had been reduced to the four women and Doug and his friend. The other guy, Charles, was an investment banker and seemed to have a bit more aptitude for the game as he remained with about eighty thousand in front of him which included the top off he’d done when his stack had fallen below fifty thousand.

Bo and Tamsin were sitting pretty both with just over a hundred and fifty thousand but the big stacks at the table were Lauren and Sloan with the blonde having just slightly more than the pro who had about two hundred thousand. Bo stood up and smiled as she walked him to the exit graciously. “Thanks for coming Doug, and please call me anytime.”

Doug nodded to her with a warm smile. “Thank you Bo, it was fun. Not as much fun as winning but I can’t complain about spending the afternoon with you beautiful gals.”

Bo smiled and laughed lightly as she held the door for him at the exit. Back at the table Tamsin watched Sloan roll her eyes slightly at Bo’s subtle flirting and the tall blonde snorted. “Not a fan of her day job I see?”

Sloan just grunted as she folded her nine and five of hearts. “It’s fine. And none of your concern Tamsin.”

Lauren called the big blind of two hundred dollars and looked over at her friend who smirked as she glanced down at the pair of tens in her hand. “Three thousand.”

Charles checked his cards and shook his head as he folded his big blind. Lauren took another look down at her ace and queen of diamonds but decided it wasn’t worth it to tangle with her friend at this point. She rolled her own eyes and folded to Tamsin who raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t say anything as she took down the small pot with a sigh. Bo returned to the table and smiled at the group. “How about a dinner break?”

Charles nodded and smiled as he stood up and stretched. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and started answering emails as he wandered out of the suite down to the bar most likely. He had been among a group of businessmen that were in town for a conference so Bo assumed he was meeting his colleagues for a bite.

“Can I buy you ladies dinner?”

The two blondes shrugged and mumbled agreement as they followed Bo and Sloan out of the suite back to the elevator. They thought they’d be going down to one of the restaurants downstairs so they were significantly surprised when they stopped a few floors down and entered Sloan’s suite. Room service had been ordered and Lauren had to admit the food looked wonderful as she realized just how hungry she was.

“Tamsin, a word?”

Bo guided the taller blonde into the kitchen area of the suite leaving Sloan and Lauren alone in the dining area. Lauren stood there somewhat awkwardly as she wasn’t sure how to approach this situation. Upstairs things were under her control as she could navigate the poker table with ease but in this unfamiliar social situation she was slightly at a loss for words. Even in her personal and professional life she was always in control so being here, and feeling slightly embarrassed, Lauren wasn’t sure how to approach conversation with the woman who had kept her up all night.

“Champagne?”

“What?”

Lauren was jarred from her thoughts by Sloan who was holding a glass of bubbly out for Lauren to take. The blonde smiled a bit bashfully as she accepted the champagne and sighed slightly. “You can drop the act now. I’m here, playing your game. I mean that’s what you wanted right?”

The words held a bite that surprised even the blonde and she took a big sip of the champagne to calm her nerves slightly and try and keep her head focused on the situation. Sloan chuckled slightly as she sipped from her own flute and looked at her sadly. “No, that wasn’t the only thing I wanted.”

Lauren looked at her skeptically. “Then what else is there? After all I highly doubt your girlfriend would approve of you wanting anything else.”

Sloan laughed lightly. “Bo and I are complicated.”

Lauren set the champagne down on the dining table. “What does that mean?”

Sloan took a few steps towards her and set her own glass down as she spoke to Lauren with a husky whisper. “It means she and I don’t have responsibility to each other beyond that which we give each other.”

Lauren looked confused. “I don’t know what that means.”

Sloan smiled. “I don’t either. But it sounded good don’t you think?”

The pair shared a laugh and Lauren shook her head. “Well I think we’ll never know what would have been.”

Sloan looked curious. “You don’t want to find out?”

Lauren sighed softly. “I live in California and split time between coasts Sloan. Even if it would have been great it wouldn’t work out in the long run.”

Sloan nodded. “Okay, I understand. But Lauren…”

The blonde looked at her carefully. “Yes?”

Sloan smiled gently at her. “Just know it wasn’t all about the gambling. Okay?”

Lauren nodded and took a seat at the table. “Okay.”

She was doing her best to remain stoic but it was proving more difficult than she thought. Here was a woman who finally made Lauren feel something and she had to walk away. She may be a high risk gambler but Lauren knew when it came to matters of the heart that she couldn’t afford to risk too much. She could be broken and Lauren Lewis wasn’t willing to risk that, no matter what the prize.  
ooOOoo  
“You sure she’s invested?”

Bo looked at Tamsin with a raised eyebrow. The pair may hate each other on some level but on others they were the perfect pair. They had the good-cop bad-cop routine down pat and could work any mark in any situation to perfection. Tamsin sighed and leaned back against the counter. “I told you Dennis, whatever Sloan did or said to her has her hooked. She’ll be back.”

Bo smiled and nodded as she moved over to one of the cabinets. She glanced back over her shoulder and looked at Tamsin with a raised eyebrow. “I hope this doesn’t put you in a precarious situation?”

Tamsin shook her head with a laugh. “If anything it might get me laid this trip so I should probably be thanking you and your crazy scheme.”

Bo rolled her eyes as she opened a safe and took out an envelope. She counted out a few bricks of money and pushed it over to Tamsin with a smirk. “Don’t spend it all in one place.”

Tamsin laughed as she picked up the bricks. She counted the fifty thousand dollars and nodded to the brunette. “Don’t worry about me beautiful, you just worry about keeping your girlfriend in check. If she gets too close she’ll fuck it all up and the doctor won’t return.”

Bo licked her lips as she put the envelope back in the safe and locked it securely. “Trust me Tamsin, Sloan is the last thing you need to worry about.”

She sashayed past the blonde back into the living room with a sway of her hips that Tamsin knew was for her benefit. Glancing at the money once again Tamsin stuck it in her jacket pocket and shook her head as she laughed and followed Bo back into the living room.

On some level Tamisn felt guilty about setting her friend up but at the end of the day money talks and right now Tamsin was listening. She’d been skeptical at first when Bo had proposed they lure Lauren to the Rock and she thought it was brash of the young host to set her mark on someone so well known among the other casinos but once Bo had convinced her there was no turning back. One million dollars was very convincing and Tamsin knew it was more about Bo wanting the satisfaction of taking the doctor for all she had more than it was about the money. Bo was competitive and she was going to be the only host to own the doctor. With a little help from Tamsin it seemed her plan was working out beautifully and if everything went accordingly Sloan would never know Bo was serving the doctor up on a silver platter.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The elevator ride back up to the penthouse was quiet as the four ladies waited patiently for the short ride to end. Lauren was unusually quiet as she replayed the conversation she’d had with Sloan before dinner. Lauren wasn’t the type of woman to put herself out there in a vulnerable position often and she was mentally kicking herself for even giving the taller brunette a chance to penetrate her mind.

“You okay?”

Tamsin looked at her with concern as she noticed the somber look on Lauren’s face. The doctor gave her a tight smile and nodded. “Fine.”

Tamsin wasn’t buying it but then again she didn’t want to push her friend so she nodded and stared ahead waiting for the elevator doors to open. The foursome headed back to the table where Charles was already seated and he smiled at them as he motioned to a lithe woman next to him. “I hope yall don’t mind but my friend here wanted to give poker a go.”

Bo gritted her teeth slightly at the newcomer as it really wasn’t casino policy to allow an unknown into the game but she wasn’t about to put one of their best clients on the spot by not letting their friend join in. Charles spent millions of dollars at the casino each year, both personally and in order to schmooze his clients, so she knew pissing him off wasn’t an option. She smiled and took a step forward extending her hand to the petite woman. “Any friend of Charles is welcome here. My name is Bo Dennis, if there’s anything you need during your stay here please don’t hesitate to ask.”

The dark haired woman looked at Bo cautiously for a second with a raised eyebrow before giving her a genuine smile. “Hi Bo, my name is Kenzi. Nice to meet you.”

Bo nodded and motioned to the others. “I’d like you to meet Sloan, Lauren and Tamsin.”

Kenzi nodded at them as she sat back down in her seat. “Nice to meet you ladies.”

They all greeted her warmly and took their seats at the table. Charles signed for Kenzi to receive some funds and after the hundred thousand was deposited to her in chips the dealer resumed the game. It was quiet for the first few hands as everyone seemed to need to readjust back to being in the poker mindset.

“So, Kenzi…what is it you do?”

The young girl, presumably Eastern European, smiled at Tamsin with a raised eyebrow. “I’m in trade. Ten thousand.”

She threw the chips into the pot and set her cards down gently placing her hands over them lazily in wait. Lauren glanced at Tamsin out of the corner of her eye for just a moment before looking down at her cards. King and ten of spades. Normally this was a hand Lauren would play around with and try to bluff out a big pot from an unsuspecting opponent but at the moment she wasn’t feeling it so she sighed lightly as she threw her cards towards the middle of the table signaling her fold.

Next to her Tamsin nodded and picked up a few chips. “That’s interesting, what kind of trade? And call.”

Bo looked at Tamsin briefly before looking down at her own cards. She hesitated for a split second before folding as well but Sloan’s quick call surprised her and she looked to her left with a raised eyebrow. There was a thickness to the air between Kenzi and Tamsin so she was surprised the normally controlled brunette sitting next to her would get tangled up in this.

“Too rich for me ladies…” Charles smiled as he folded as well and the dealer raked the chips towards the center of the table. After tapping his fist on the table twice he burned one card and dealt out three cards face up. Seven of clubs, jack of hearts and the ten of hearts now sat face up waiting for Kenzi to make the first move as she was immediately to the left of the dealer button.

“International trade. Twenty five.”

A flick of her wrist had twenty five thousand in chips lying in front of her and she smiled at Tamsin playfully. Lauren raised her eyebrows at the healthy bet and waited along with the rest of the table to see what Tamsin would do. Kenzi was baiting Tamsin and Lauren could see by the look in her eye that the taller blonde was succumbing to it. 

“Call.”

There was a very slight hesitation to her decision but Tamsin brushed it off as she placed her chips in front of her. Tamsin was more of a gambler when it came to poker than Lauren was and she hardly ever backed down when challenged, especially when it was by someone she wanted to prove a point to. “So what is it you trade?”

Kenzi smiled as she raised an eyebrow. “You ask a lot of questions for someone you just met.”

Tamsin smirked. “And you dodge a lot of questions for someone in a legitimate trade business.”

Lauren’s eyes darted back and forth between the pair but she didn’t say anything as she looked up and noticed Sloan looking directly at her. The intensity of the dark eyes staring back at her caught Lauren off guard but she looked away quickly as she took a sip of her champagne not wanting to have some tumultuous silent conversation.

“Fold.”

Sloan threw her cards into the center of the table similar to Lauren and the pair sitting directly across one another were now the only two left in the pot. The dealer tapped the table again and burned a card before revealing the next card, the jack of diamonds. Without missing a beat Kenzi glanced down and pushed a large stack of chips towards the middle. “Fifty seven thousand.”

Tamsin smirked slightly as she looked at Kenzi with disbelief. “If I call that bet do I get to find out what it is you really do?”

Kenzi’s lip curled up in a teasing manner. “I don’t gamble with information Tamsin. You of all people should know that.”

This comment sent the blonde reeling a bit and Tamsin hesitated for a second before raising an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

Kenzi smiled. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

The dealer looked at Tamsin with a bored expression. “Bet is fifty seven thousand miss.”

Tamsin glared at him before looking down at her stacks. She had about sixty five thousand in front of her so if she made this call and lost she would essentially have nothing left. Glancing down at her cards she seemed to shrug to herself and smiled as she pushed her chips towards the middle. “Call.”

The dealer looked at both women with the same bored look on his face as he tapped the table twice again and burned a card before turning over the final card, the queen of hearts. Tamsin looked at Kenzi with a cold stare and waited to see what the girl would do. Kenzi looked at Tamsin and shrugged nonchalantly. 

“Check.”

This puzzled Tamsin as Kenzi had been betting out all hand. She glanced down at her cards once again just to be sure she knew what she had before picking up her remaining chips. “All in.”

Kenzi laughed and wasted no time in calling the bet. She seemed to gloat slightly as she picked up her cards and flipped them over to Tamsin’s surprise. “It has a nice ring to it don’t you think?”

The royal flush is the epitome of all poker hands and Tamsin couldn’t believe the four jacks she’d made weren’t good enough to win this hand. In frustration she threw her cards towards the middle of the table and glared at the smaller woman. “That was a ballsy bet there.”

Kenzi shrugged as she raked in the chips, which included all of Tamsin’s money. “Big risk big reward right?”

Tamsin chuckled as she nodded and stared at Kenzi in disbelief. She had no idea who this woman was, let alone how the hell she got so lucky and if this was how it was going to be Tamsin knew she was in for a long night. She sighed as she leaned back and took a big sip of her whiskey before signaling to the suite supervisor to refill her stack. At this point it was pride not money that was the issue and Tamsin was determined to get her retribution. Lauren chuckled slightly and looked over at her friend with concern. “Shall we take a break?”  
Tamsin just shook her head. “I’m fine.”

The short answer told Lauren that Tamsin was anything but fine but she also had gambled enough with her to know sometimes she just needed to let Tamsin be. The woman was an adult with a never ending supply of money and a super competitive nature so Lauren knew she didn’t need to worry about Tamsin’s state of mind. Lauren knew her fellow blonde was just mad about being beaten and needed another opportunity to save a little face by taking Kenzi down a peg or two.

“So Lauren, what do you do?”

Kenzi was looking at her with the same patient smile and for some reason Lauren wanted to wipe if off her smug face. The doctor smiled politely and sat back comfortably in her chair. “I’m a surgeon.”

Kenzi looked impressed as she smiled. “That’s fascinating. Ever operate on anyone famous?”

Lauren did her best not to roll her eyes as this seemed to be a question she got every once in a while. “Sometimes.”

Kenzi chuckled lightly. “Ever kill someone?”

Lauren’s head snapped up at this question as she heard the slight gasp from the rest of the table. It was quite a brash question to ask and Lauren smirked as she figured Kenzi was just trying to get under her skin. “I have actually.”

Kenzi’s eyebrow went up. “Good. I wouldn’t want a surgeon who never had a casualty. It means either they’re perfect at their job, which no one is or it means they aren’t really doing the surgery.”

Lauren chuckled. “Are you in need of medical care?”

Kenzi snorted. “Are you offering your services?”

Sloan watched this interaction with some interest and she felt something rise at the suggestive tone of Kenzi’s last statement. To break up the solitary conversation between the pair she reached down and blindly grabbed chips. “Raise.”

All eyes were on her as the dealer counted out the stack she’d grabbed. “Ninety two thousand.”

Charles raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything as he folded and Kenzi glanced down at her cards briefly before folding as well. Lauren finally picked up her cards and looked up at Sloan calmly as she reached for a stack of her own chips. “Call.”

Tamsin snickered beside her and folded as did Bo who was looking back and forth between Tamsin, Lauren and Sloan with interest. The dealer raked the chips towards the middle before going through the motion of dealing out the flop. Two nine’s and an ace sat on the board as Lauren looked down at her cards and back up at Sloan with a cold look in her eye. “Check.”

Sloan looked down at her own cards again and reached for a stack of money. “Fifty thousand.”

Lauren didn’t even flinch as she reached for chips and threw them into the pot. “Call. I assure you that you won’t buy this pot Sloan.”

The brunette looked at her and smiled. “Not for sale doctor?”

Lauren’s face never changed from its current serious look. “Never.”

The dealer sighed as he burned a card and turned over the two of diamonds. He motioned to Lauren to make her move and she glanced down at her chips before looking at Sloan with the serious look still in her eye. “Check.”

Sloan’s hand twitched to reach for chips but her brain knew better. By Lauren looking at her chips she gave away the fact that she wanted to bet but for some reason she hesitated. If she were an amateur player Sloan would have known this was due to her not having a good hand but in this case Sloan knew better. If Lauren had wanted to bet out it was because she had a hand but she was waiting for Sloan to do so instead. ‘Tricky tricky Dy. Lewis,’ thought Sloan as a smirk graced her lips. After a few seconds she looked up at Lauren calmly. 

“Check.”

The dealer burned a card and turned over the river card, the three of clubs, and again motioned for Lauren to proceed. This time the blonde didn’t hesitate as she reached for a stack of chips and set them down in front of her. “I’m not cheap either Sloan. So the decision is yours. Fold and be content with what you have or gamble and see if it pays off.”

The double meaning of the words was not lost on the tall brunette and she searched Lauren’s eyes for some sign of what the blonde wanted her to do. Given the weight of the situation Sloan should probably have paid more attention to the real meaning of Lauren’s words but she was having a hard time focusing. Part of her was curious from a poker perspective as to what Lauren was holding and part of her did not want this tourist to push her around in her own house nonetheless. She held Lauren’s unwavering gaze for a few more seconds before huffing slightly as she reached for chips. “I never settle.”

Lauren’s lip finally curled into a smirk as Sloan put her own stacks in the middle. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Lauren turned over her cards and revealed a pair of aces in her hand giving her a full house, aces full of nines. Normally an almost unbeatable hand but when Sloan smiled and reached for her cards Lauren knew she was beat. “But I never gamble either doctor. You should have figured that out by now.” 

Flipping her cards over the pair of nine’s that Sloan was holding made Lauren’s stomach knot up and combined with her last statement made Lauren want to get out of there right away. Gambling for the sake of gambling was something Lauren never did and after her little display with Sloan she really felt embarrassed. Picking up her drink she took a big sip before glancing over at Sloan as she clenched her jaw. “Good hand.”

Lauren stared at her evenly before nodding and standing up. “Well, I guess I have nothing left to loose for today. Thank you for the fun and I’ll see you all later.”

Tamsin looked up at her with slight concern. “You want me to take you back?”

Lauren smiled and shook her head. “It’s fine, you enjoy. Call me tomorrow?”

Tamsin nodded. “Okay, I may stop by for drinks later.”

Lauren just smiled as she nodded at the group and left the suite quietly. Kenzi watched with interest as both Sloan and Tamsin seemed to discretely watch her leave and she wondered what that was all about. She understood enough about the group to realize that Sloan and Bo were together so she looked at Tamsin with a faux innocent smile. “Trouble in paradise?”

Tamsin looked back at her with confusion. “What?”

Kenzi nodded to where Lauren had exited the room. “Your girlfriend…”

Tamsin scoffed and Sloan rolled her eyes as Bo laughed heartily. “That is not Tamsin’s girlfriend.”

Kenzi looked on in amusement as she nodded. “Oh, my mistake.”

Tamsin didn’t say anything as she looked from Kenzi to Sloan quietly. Bo looked at Tamsin then over to Sloan and pursed her lips as she looked at her cards and folded quickly. She stood up suddenly and went to retrieve another bottle of champagne from the bar area leaving the other three ladies and Charles at the table. Sloan and Tamsin stared one another down which fascinated the newest member of the group. Kenzi’s lips curled up in interest as she quickly realized Lauren seemed to be the focus of everyone’s attention. She would use this information to her advantage and when the time was right, she would make her move.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Are you drunk?”

Lauren looked up at the sound of her friends voice and rolled her eyes as she sipped her cocktail and sighed quietly to herself. It was well after three in the morning and the blonde couldn’t sleep so she found herself down at the roulette table just to kill time. Normally she would have gone up to the high roller area but the casino was at a dull roar and it wasn’t crowded so she didn’t feel like going all the way up the other elevators to the private room. 

“No more bets.”

The dealer swept his hand over the table indicating the betting was done for this spin and Lauren motioned for Tamsin to sit down as she waited to see what number hit. 

“Seven.”

Lauren gave the dealer a small smile as he looked at her with a friendly laugh. She’d had ten dollars on the number and the dealer quickly passed three hundred and fifty dollars to her for her win and nodded as she threw him a five dollar tip. Tamsin’s eyebrows went up in surprise as she sat down next to her friend. “You okay?”

Lauren shrugged slightly. “Just bored I guess.”

Tamsin looked around in confusion as she reached for Lauren’s drink and took a whiff. She shrugged before setting it down and looked at her friend with exasperation. “Bored. How can you be bored in this city?”

Lauren laughed lightly as she put a few more bets out on the table. “So how was the rest of the game?”

Tamsin shrugged and leaned back in the chair. “Okay I guess. That Kenzi chick has some balls though.”

Lauren raised an eyebrow and looked at her curiously. “Don’t tell me she got you again?”

Tamsin shook her head and ordered her own drink from the cocktail waitress who stopped by to check on Lauren. “No but she could stand to be knocked down a peg or two.”

Lauren laughed and looked at her with amusement. “Pot calling the kettle black?”

Tamsin scoffed and shook her head. “I’m fine where I’m at on my pedestal. Speaking of, what was that with Sloan earlier?”

Lauren shrugged again as she watched the ball spin around the roulette wheel. “It was poker.”

Tamsin’s eyebrow went up in surprise. “Seemed like a little more than that to me?”

Lauren frowned when the ball landed on the zero indicating she’d lost all her bets. “I think you’re making something out of nothing. But what do you know about her?”

Tamsin sighed and leaned forward in her seat a bit. When she’d first made friends with Lauren it was genuine and she’d been happy to meet someone who wasn’t thrown by the glitz and glamour of the bright lights of Las Vegas. Of course, having money opened many doors in this city, but it didn’t really seem to phase the doctor beyond having her fill of high stakes gambling. Lauren seemed down to earth and she legitimately had a good time with the doctor, even going as far as admitting to herself if she ever decided in the future that she was to settle down it would be with someone like Lauren. However, when Bo found out Tamsin had befriended the biggest target to grace Las Vegas Boulevard she suddenly found herself in their little game of cat and mouse.

“Uh well, she’s a local and has been on the poker circuit for a while now.”

Lauren raised an eyebrow and nodded as she placed a few more bets out. It was easy enough to figure out that piece of information and she waited for Tamsin to continue on.

“She’s kind of a wrong side of the tracks girl who turned her fortune around for herself ya know?”

Lauren made what sounded like a soft grunting noise as she looked at Tamsin carefully. “Not like you I suppose?”

Tamsin felt the sting of that statement and she sighed knowing Lauren was a bit annoyed at something. Tamsin figured it had to do with losing the money earlier that night so she didn’t think anything of it. Shrugging she played with her drink that had finally arrived. “I guess not. Anyway, she hooked up with Bo and they’ve been together ever since.”

Tamsin felt the acute signs of guilt wash over her as she downplayed Sloan’s notoriety in the city and, more importantly, her relationship with Bo. Since getting mixed up with the pair Tamsin had been on a short leash when it came to Lauren. Bo had done some digging and found out, with the help of daddy’s resources of course, that Tamsin’s family had been mixed up in some mob dealings back when Vegas was the wild west. It was through those ties that her family came to own the majority of the land that they did and Tamsin’s name still rattled some of the old timers to this day. The downside of that was that they’d also hidden a lot of assets in various ways throughout the city and one call to the IRS could land the only living heir to her family’s fortune in jail.

“And yet you run in the same circles as they do. Don’t really seem your type…”

Lauren was watching Tamsin closely and the other blonde scoffed as she looked back at Lauren with a steady gaze. “They’re not.”

Lauren raised her eyebrow. “So I repeat…why entertain them?”

Tamsin sighed and looked at Lauren with slight annoyance. “Keep your enemies close or whatever the saying is…”

Lauren pursed her lips and looked at Tamsin carefully as she could tell something was off about her friend that night. Normally snarky to a tee, Tamsin’s demeanor was puzzling Lauren but she had no idea what the reason could be. Lauren reached for her purse and pulled out a stack of bills. She looked at Tamsin with a raised eyebrow and a semi challenging smile. “Okay, I don’t know what your problem is tonight but I only see one logical way to handle this.” She held up the money and shook it slightly. “Red, you tell me the whole truth. Black, I let it go and we call it a night.”

Tamsin looked at her curiously. “And if it’s green?”

Lauren shrugged. “Won’t happen.” She looked at the dealer. “Money plays.”

Lauren set the stack of money down on red with a smile directed at Tamsin. This wasn’t really about the money or the gamble, she just wanted to loosen her friend up so she could possibly see what the problem was. Tamsin’s eyebrow went up in curiosity but she just nodded as the roulette dealer had called the pit boss over to monitor the spin. Lauren had just bet the table maximum, which really wasn’t that much considering Lauren normally dumped fifty thousand on a roulette table upstairs, and the pit boss just sighed and nodded for the dealer to go ahead and drop the ball in the wheel.

Tamsin watched the ball with some trepidation as she bit her lip hoping for the ball to hit black. She knew she could just as well lie to Lauren if needed but for some reason she had a hard time doing just that. Perhaps it was Lauren’s innocence or perhaps it was her good nature that really made it hard for Tamsin not to give in to Lauren whenever she was asked for something.

The pit boss also took an interest in the action of the blonde as that was a lot of money at stake for one roll. Not to say that people didn’t make outrageous bets simply because it was Vegas and they could, but five thousand dollars was a lot for him to have to shell over if the ball landed red. People normally bet the table maximums on blackjack and craps so it was unusual for him to see someone do this in roulette and he was hoping for the best.

Lauren didn’t even watch the ball as she studied the nervousness making itself known in Tamsin’s eyes. Being a decent poker player, the taller blonde did have a good façade but Lauren had been around the girl enough to know when she wasn’t being completely honest. She knew by the look in her eye when Tamsin was happy, sad, or angry but this…this was new. Lauren heard the ball bounce a few times and the look of relief that briefly washed over Tamsin’s face told the doctor all she needed to know. 

“Twenty-two. Black.”

The pit boss breathed a slight sigh of relief as the dealer reached over and picked up the stack of money Lauren had put on the table. The doctor just sighed as she stood up and motioned for Tamsin to walk with her away from the table. The pair headed silently towards the elevators and Lauren just frowned as she dug in her purse for her room key. She wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries as she was now pissed that Tamsin seemed to be keeping something from her.

“Lauren, wait…”

Tamsin guided Lauren away from the elevators and towards a little café looking place that served coffee and pastries to its late night patrons. Tamsin motioned for Lauren to sit but the doctor looked at her with annoyance. “Look Tamsin, it’s late and I’m exhausted so unless there’s something you need then I’m just going to go to bed.”

Tamsin sighed. “They want you.”

Lauren looked slightly confused. “Excuse me?”

Tamsin looked up at her with a sad smile. “Bo and Sloan. They want you. Er, more specifically, your money.”

Lauren looked suspicious. “They have my money.”

Tamsin rolled her eyes in annoyance and motioned for Lauren to sit down. Normally she didn’t do this heroic grand gesture type of thing but today was different. Lauren sat down tentatively and waited for Tamsin to begin. “Look Lauren, everyone in this town knows that in the past few years you’ve made it a point to come and put a ton of money in play. Like everything else in this city money talks and so far you’ve managed to stay away from them and their circle of cronies. Rumor has it that Bo made it a mission to get you to her casino and, in doing so, prove she was the best host out there.”

Lauren felt her anger building slowly but didn’t outwardly react as she raised an eyebrow. “And Sloan?”

Tamsin bit her lips nervously. “Was the bait? It’s also known that you’ve taken an interest in poker lately so she was in the perfect position to help lure you over there.”

Now, this wasn’t a total lie but it wasn’t exactly the truth either. Sloan had no idea about Bo’s specific plans, only that they’d wanted to get the infamous Dr. Lauren Lewis over to Red Rock to see what she was all about. Sloan didn’t know that Bo blackmailed Tamsin into helping her, nor was she aware that Bo had secretly been working all the angles to get Lauren there for a while now. The high limit poker games had been Bo’s idea, something she started around the time Lauren made her second visit to the city, in hopes that eventually it would pay dividends in helping her gain Lauren’s interest. 

When it came to getting what she wanted Bo Dennis had a ruthless streak to her that very few people ever saw. Her father was just as cutthroat in business and it seems in her case that the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. It was how Bo had gotten Tamsin’s help and even, to some extent, why Bo ended up with Sloan. The poker angle was the final piece of the puzzle for Bo and she knew once she’d cemented that relationship that there was nothing she wouldn’t be able to offer any high roller, including Lauren Lewis. When Bo had come over to Caesars that first night and met Lauren she’d admitted to herself that the blonde was gorgeous and found herself flirting subtly to see if it would be something she could use to her advantage. Surprisingly, Lauren hadn’t shown interest so when she did show interest in Sloan it was a bit of an ego bruise to the beautiful hostess. 

Not to say that Bo was overly competitive, she simply wanted to be the best at whatever she did and not having Lauren visit her property was keeping her from attaining that level amongst her peers. Sloan and Tamsin were ploys to gain and hold Lauren’s interest and Bo had to admit, everything had worked out as far as she could tell. Not only had Lauren visited and liked what she saw, she knew it was enough for the blonde to return to her property and that would make Bo that much more respected among the affluent community as being someone who could handle their business.

Lauren internally seethed as she looked at Tamsin incredulously. “So it was all an act then? Bo…Sloan…you?”

Lauren tried to stand up but Tamsin’s hand on her forearm stopped her. “No. Well not all of it. I think Bo is at the center of all the madness but I can assure you doctor I had no ill intentions when I first met you.”

Lauren looked at her in annoyance once again. “And now?”

Tamsin shrugged. “I’ve paid my dues. I was only to get you over there and help convince you to stay should you have decided you weren’t interested. Didn’t need to do much though so you made my job pretty easy.”

Lauren looked at Tamsin sadly. “I just don’t understand Tamsin…if all they wanted was my money they could have had it. Why go through such an elaborate scheme?”

Tamsin shrugged. “Not sure. But Lauren, I meant what I said. It was never an act with me.”

Lauren gave her a small smile and nodded. “Okay Tamsin. I believe you.”

Tamsin looked at her with a small smile and nodded. “And to show you my sincerity I’m taking you out tomorrow, wherever you’d like to go.”

Lauren’s lip curled up into a smirk. “Oh I think we should visit Ms. Dennis again tomorrow. If she wants my money then she’ll have to deal with the swings just like everyone else right?”

Tamsin’s eyebrows went up slightly as she looked at her with a small smile. “And what did you have in mind?”

Lauren shrugged. “Let’s find out what it’s really like to gamble at her casino.”

The pair shared a smile and Lauren nodded to herself almost absentmindedly. She may naturally be a calm and controlled person but Lauren was human after all and when someone fucked with her she wasn’t above getting even. Never getting revenge as that wasn’t in her nature, but getting justice was. Throughout her career as a surgeon Lauren understood when it was time to be firm, time to be authoritative and time to be demanding. Right now was time for a combination of all of those and she was going to help Bo Dennis understand why she wasn’t to be trifled with.

Tamsin smirked and nodded. “Sounds like fun and I think I have someone who may be able to help.”

Lauren looked at Tamsin with interest as she reached in her back pocket. Tamsin threw the business card on the table and Lauren picked it up with surprise. “You got her number after she cleaned you out at the table?”

Tamsin shrugged. “What can I say, I’m a sucker for competition.”

Lauren laughed and nodded as she handed Kenzi’s card back to her friend. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was almost four in the morning so she decided to call it a night. After Tamsin walked her upstairs, and playfully offered to show Lauren just how sincere she could be the doctor kicked her friend out with plans to meet up tomorrow morning and head over to see Bo and Sloan. On the elevator ride down Tamsin reached into her pocket to pull out her phone. She punched a number in and a sleepy voice answered.

“Yeah?”

“t’s Tamsin…we’ll be at Red Rock tomorrow.”

The voice huffed loudly into the phone. “Okay.”

Tamsin hung up and sighed as she leaned back against the elevators. She hoped trusting Kenzi was the right thing to do but she had a feeling she was making the safe play here. Bo may have threatened her but after talking with Kenzi she realized the newcomer had more for her to be concerned about than Bo did. Her cooperation in helping with the ongoing investigation on Bo would prove to be useful in helping her resolve some of her more prominent financial issues her family may have burdened her with. Having assets and money was a good thing, unless the majority of those were obtained illegally and now the rightful owners wanted them back. Tamsin knew it wouldn’t solve all of her problems but working with the undercover agent from the Nevada Gaming Commission would sure make a lot of them disappear.


	6. FINALE

Chapter 6

Tamsin looked at her reflection in the glass doors with a sigh before walking in to the large gaming area at Red Rock.  Lauren had offered to head over with her but the taller blonde brushed her off slightly stating she had some business to attend to before they could head over to carry out what Lauren thought was a plan to put a sizeable dent in Bo’s home casino.

“Tamsin…”

Nodding to the petite woman to follow her she wandered over to the large circular bar area located in the main gaming area and nonchalantly took a seat at one of the plush chairs that was just off the bar top.  Kenzi followed suit and took the seat next to her before giving her a curious look.

“Okay, I see you’re here.  Now what?”

Tamsin didn’t say anything as she kept her eyes trained on the pathway that led through the slot area towards the table games.  They were sitting on the side facing the walkway and Kenzi wasn’t sure what was going on as she waited somewhat impatiently for Tamsin to say something.  She was about to finally give up and break the silence when she noticed Bo walking down the walkway with a gentlemen in a very expensive looking suit.  Following him were three women that Kenzi knew were not the most upstanding citizens in this city but then again nothing about America's playground was upstanding so it fit the status quo.

The pair watched Bo lead the man and the three women towards a private elevator.  She hit the button and smiled at the man before handing him what appeared to be a room key as she handed her a small duffel bag that Tamsin knew contained anywhere between five hundred thousand to one million dollars.

To say Kenzi was shocked was an understatement as she watched Bo glance in the bag briefly before giving the man a subtle nod and walking away as he and the three ladies entered the elevator.  Kenzi watched curiously as they disappeared and she noticed that Bo had also vanished from the casino floor in record time.  

“Okay what the fuck was that?”

Tamsin shrugged.  “Your guess is as good as mine but I think you can figure it out.”

Kenzi looked at her curiously.  “Why throw her under the bus now?  Come on Tamsin you and I both know you could have done this years ago.”

Tamsin shrugged. “Maybe I grew a conscience.”

Kenzi shook her head.  “Or maybe you grew a heart.”  She stood up and took out her phone already running through the list of things she’d need to do to get her evidence on what she just saw.  “Say hello to the doctor for me.”  Without giving Tamsin time to respond she walked away with the phone already up to her ear as she barked orders at her counterparts who were awaiting her report.  Tamsin knew whatever Kenzi was setting up was going to drop the hammer on Bo and possibly this casino and most likely herself all in one shot.  

“To what do I owe the surprise?”

Tamsin whipped around and saw Bo standing behind her with a patient smile on her face.  She hoped that Bo hadn’t noticed her there earlier but from the look the brunette was giving her she knew she was safe.  Standing up she turned and gave her a tight smile.  “Just waiting on our favorite doctor.  I thought you’d be happy to see her again.”

Bo crossed her arms as her smile fell a little.  “Cut the shit Tamsin.  I know you don’t like playing here so why bring her back?”

Tamsin shrugged as she put her hands on her hips comfortably.  “Maybe I’ve had a change of heart.  What can I say...this place is starting to grow on me.”  
Bo rolled her eyes and peered at the taller blonde.  “What do you want Tamsin?”

The blonde smirked as she shrugged.  “Nothing you can give me apparently.  Now if you’ll excuse me I see the good doctor now.”  She turned and walked away laughing to herself at the expression that must be on Bo’s face right now.  Normally Tamsin was a little more reserved around Bo given her lingering attraction to the brunette but for her to be as brash as she was had to be a shock to Bo’s system.  Tamsin strolled over to Lauren who gave her a warm smile and friendly hug as they made their way towards the main elevators.  Bo had a bad feeling about Tamsin and Lauren lurking around but for now she couldn’t worry about that.  She had other things to attend to and she needed to ensure she was staying one step ahead of whatever the tall blonde and the unassuming doctor were up to.

ooOOoo

“Really Laur…”

Tamsin sighed as she sat down at the gaming table next to her friend who just laughed and nodded.  They signed for their markers and Lauren just shrugged as she placed five thousand dollars in the spot marked for the ante.  Tamsin followed suit and sighed again as she waited for the cards to be dealt out.  She could never figure out why Lauren liked these stupid parlor games but Tamsin had to admit it was fun watching Lauren get so excited over these games of chance.

“Can I get you ladies anything to drink?”

A young blonde had wandered over to the pair and was waiting attentively for them to place a drink order.  Tamsin requested a beer while Lauren asked for a glass of wine.  Not conventional gambling drink but she said since this game required little to no thought that she would just be enjoying herself.  The blonde nodded and walked off to fetch their drinks while the pair turned back to the dealer who was patiently waiting for them to make a decision.

The high limit area was empty save for a drunk businessman who Lauren recognized from the poker game the other night.  She watched him place a quarter million dollars on black and stare at the roulette wheel as the ball spun round and round the wooden surface.  She hoped for his sake that he won and by the sound of the exuberant cheer that emitted from him a few seconds later she knew he had in fact cashed in big on that spin.

“Sounds like someone is having fun.”  Tamsin laughed as she nodded and turned her attention back to Lauren.  The doctor glanced down at her cards and smiled as she held a pair of jacks in her hand.  She put fifteen thousand dollars on each of the three betting spots indicating she had a winning hand.  Tamsin chuckled as she glanced down at the nine and seven in her hand and put five thousand on the first betting spot as she waited for the dealer to flip over the first card.

Mississippi Stud is one of those parlor games where you can win big and lose big in a matter of a few hands, just depending on how much gamble you have in you.  There is no one to play against as the whole point of the game is to make a pair of sixes or higher for a chance to win a ton of money.  Tamsin referred to it as the card version of craps and Lauren had agreed it was one of those mindless yet enjoyable games.  It was nice to take a break from the concentration of blackjack or the stress of craps so she was thankful she’d discovered this game a few years ago.  The first time she’d had Tamsin play the game the taller blonde bitched for hours about dropping three hundred thousand in less than twenty minutes.  

“Ten”

The first card was revealed and Tamsin shrugged as she placed another five grand out on the table.  She was a gambler for sure and there was hardly a time when she folded...which is probably why she hated this stupid game.  

“Jack.”

Lauren cheered a little as she sipped her wine and Tamsin scrunched her face in thought.  She now had a gut shot straight draw and was gambling to see an eight come out on the last card to improve her hand from nothing to a winning straight.  The pair were now so focused on the last card as Lauren understood what Tamsin needed to make a winning hand that they hadn’t heard the soft footsteps come up behind them.

“Eight.”

Tamsin jumped off her seat in triumph as she’d just made a straight from the seven to the jack winning five times her total bet of twenty thousand dollars.  Since Lauren had made three of a kind she won three times her total bet of fifty thousand leaving them both well ahead of where they’d started with.

“Great job ladies.”

The pair turned around to see Bo standing behind them with a perfectly neutral smile on her face.  She had been summoned to the high rollers room when Doug had taken nearly two million off the roulette table but her interest had shifted when she’d seen the pair sitting at the table playing the ridiculous game.  

“Yeah, lucky hand I guess.”

Lauren shrugged a little as she collected her winnings and tipped the dealer and Tamsin just rolled her eyes as she did the same.  They looked at Bo expectantly as the brunette remained there for a few seconds.  She put her arm lightly on the back of Lauren’s chair and looked at the doctor with a small smile.  “Since you ladies are enjoying the casino so much how about you come and enjoy all it has to offer?”

She held out a key card, similar to the one Tamsin had seen her give to the guy earlier, and winked as she walked off.  Lauren looked at the small envelope the card was held in and she opened it carefully, not really sure what to expect.  

Midnight

Lauren looked at the card in confusion as she handed the envelope to Tamsin who looked at it and rolled her eyes.  She motioned for them to be cashed out and Lauren looked confused as she followed the tall blonde out of the high limit room.  “Tamsin?”

The blonde seemed to be on a mission as she hit the elevator button in annoyance and she looked at Lauren with a sigh.  “Let’s go eat, I’ll explain over dinner.”

Lauren nodded and followed Tamsin into the elevator that was heading back down to the main gaming area.  She didn’t know why Tamsin’s demeanor had changed so suddenly but she was now curious to find out.  She glanced at the taller blonde who seemed to be a little lost in thought and she wondered just what Bo Dennis was up to with this invite.

ooOOoo

“Babe?  You here?”

Sloan appeared out of the bedroom and Bo smiled as she took in the slightly disheveled look of her girlfriend who had obviously been lost in deep sleep.  Sloan rubbed her eyes a little as she took a seat on the oversized couch and yawned as she stretched a little trying to get her bearings straight.  Bo sauntered over and gracefully sat in her lap smiling as Sloan’s arms circled her waist automatically.  Bo looked down at her lover with an amused smile knowing that Sloan was in that state of half consciousness that would make her more agreeable to whatever Bo wanted.

“Babe?”

“Hmm?”

Bo put her arms loosely around Sloan’s shoulders as she leaned in and nipped at her neck softly.  “You up for going upstairs tonight?”

Sloan kind of grumbled something incoherently as her head rolled back as Bo continued to lightly tease the skin beneath her lips.  Bo smiled and looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.  “I take that as a yes?”

Sloan just nodded as she tightened her grip on the smaller woman in an obvious attempt to get her to continue what she was doing.  Bo laughed softly and moved back in to take her earlobe lightly between her teeth as she purred into Sloan’s ear.  “Good cause I have a job for you.”

To her credit Sloan was able to mostly keep up with the conversation as she slid her hands a little higher up to enjoy the curves of her girlfriend.  “What’s that?”

Bo bit her lightly before tugging on her earlobe a little then moving down to kiss her lightly on her chin and neck.  “I need you to entertain Lauren and Tamsin.”

Sloan’s eyebrows wrinkled slightly as she felt Bo bite her neck in that one spot that made her knees weak.  “Entertain meaning….”

Bo chuckled against her skin as she paid attention to the way Sloan’s body was responding to her.  “I think you can figure that out.”

A soft moan escaped Sloan’s lips as Bo licked and kissed the sensitive area just below her ear and she automatically responded by letting her hands roam totally uninhabited over Bo’s body.  “I’m not sure what we’re talking about here Bo.”

The young host rolled her eyes slightly as she sat back a little and looked at Sloan’s slightly confused and mostly dazed face.  She knew the taller brunette was grasping for any type of coherent though right now so she decided to give in and give her a break.  “I think the doctor has a thing for you, maybe you can see where that goes.”

Sloan shook her head slightly as she focused all of her attention on what Bo was saying.  “You want me to what?  Hit on Lauren?  Why Bo?”  She knew Bo often had a hidden agenda when it came to dealing with her clientele and she knew without a doubt there was something more going on here than meets the eye.  Sure, Bo did what was needed to ensure her guests had a good time and always returned to come back for more but she had a bad, bad feeling about this.  

“Well I’m not saying sleep with her but I’m sure she’d appreciate a little attention from you.”  She tried to smile and lean back in for another kiss but Sloan held her at arms length halting her progress.  

“Wait what?”  The look of confusion from the taller brunette was not lost on Bo.  She knew this look.  This meant Sloan wanted answers and she wasn’t sure she had what the poker pro was looking for.

“I’m just saying it’s about the experience right baby?  So if you can help that out then you’d be doing me a favor by showing Lauren a good time.”  Bo tried to look sweet and innocent but one look at Sloan told her it wasn’t working.  

Sloan sighed as she moved Bo off her lap and stood up angrily.  “I’m not sure exactly what you’re planning here Bo but I’m not going to be a part of it.  You want me to go tonight then fine, I’ll accompany you but keep me out of whatever you have up your sleeve.  I’m not going to be part of your little game.”  She turned and walked toward the bedroom with a sigh and glanced back at Bo with a look of disgust mixed with confusion on her face.  “You need to realize you can’t play with people like that Bo.”

The brunette on the couch rolled her eyes as she waved Sloan off with a flippant shrug. “Be there at ten.”

Sloan didn’t say anything as she grunted and slammed the bedroom door behind her.  She hated when Bo was up to her tricks and she knew whatever her girlfriend had planned for tonight would be right up there with her scheming to take millions off of the high rollers every week.  It also bothered her that she was a little than more concerned since Lauren was apparently the mark in Bo’s crosshairs.  She’d found herself thinking more and more about the young doctor and she wasn’t sure if it was just healthy curiosity about the mysterious woman or if it was something more.  She seemed so different than the people Sloan met in the casino day in and day out and she had a suspicion that her gut was telling her she needed to be a little protective of the doctor.  She knew Tamsin was in Lauren's corner but she trusted the tall blonde about as far as she could throw her and right now she had the overwhelming desire to go back into the living room and tell Bo to stay the hell away from Lauren but she knew better than to do that.  Doing that would only raise more questions than necessary and she wasn’t prepared to answer anything about that just yet.

ooOOoo

“So you want to tell me what this is about or are we just going to pretend you didn’t almost lose it up there?”  Lauren looked at Tamsin expectantly and she pursed her lips as Tamsin sipped her whiskey slowly.  Setting the glass down Tamsin finally gave her a serious look.

“Bo’s up to something and I don’t like it.”

Lauren looked confused.  “What does that have to do with the key card?”

Tamsin leaned forward and looked around a little before speaking in a low tone.  “I’ve heard about these parties she throws and let’s just say it’s parties like these that give Vegas its reputation.”

Lauren was still confused as she looked at Tamsin with furrowed eyebrows.  “I don’t understand.”

Tamsin was about to open her mouth when a male voice beside them cut in.  “She mean’s whatever you want you can get and anything goes.  How ya’ll doing ladies?”

The pair looked up to see Doug and Charles standing near the table giving them wide smiles.  Tamsin rolled her eyes as she sat back and folded her arms across her chest in annoyance.  “Sure, what he said.”

Still totally confused as to what was going on Lauren nodded at them slightly.  “Nice to see you gentlemen again.”

Doug leaned on the back of the vacant chair between Lauren and Tamsin and looked down at them with a semi sleazy smile.  “Your friend here is right about the party...so I hope we’ll see you ladies later tonight?”  Doug looked at them expectantly and Tamsin just gave him an annoyed smile as she held up the key card.  “Later.”

Doug nodded and he and Charles shared a laugh before walking off talking like a pair of frat boys excited to go to their first real college party.  Tamsin huffed as she leaned forward and looked at Lauren carefully.  “If you don’t want to go then don’t.  But if you do then we can go for a few so you can see what I mean.”

Lauren reached across the table and took the card slowly from Tamsin’s grasp.  She looked it over carefully and looked up at Tamsin with a mischievous smile.  “Well, since I’m here might as well see what all the fuss is about right?”

Tamsin leaned back and sighed lightly as she nodded and went back to sipping her whiskey.  She didn’t like the thought of taking Lauren to one of Bo’s notorious parties but she was doing her duty as a friend to ensure nothing bad happened to the young doctor.  Across the restaurant Doug and Charles had been watching the pair carefully trying to figure out if they would in fact be there tonight.  When Doug saw Tamsin nod after Lauren said something with a smile he knew he had his confirmation.  Taking his phone out of his pocket the pair exited the restaurant quickly.  “It’s Doug.  They’re in.”

A voice on the other end grunted out a confirmation and Doug hung up with a smile.  This was over five years of work in the making and he knew for a fact he’d be cashing in big tonight.  He had been skeptical at first about taking on the Vegas powerhouse but with all of the charges brought against Bo Dennis he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be a part of her demise.  When Kenzi had recruited him and explained her plan to bring down the biggest target in Vegas he had been on board immediately and after partnering with Charles and his agency they’d spent nearly every waking moment trying to build their case against the elusive Ms. Dennis and her syndicate of good old fashioned Vegas thugs.

ooOOoo

“You sure you’re okay?”

Tamsin looked down at Lauren cautiously as she whispered to the shorter blonde.  They were in the elevator with Doug and Charles who had magically appeared out of thin air when the pair had made their way towards the private doors.  The four of them had ushered themselves into the cart and Lauren had made a face when it was obvious that the two guys were completely hammered and smelling like booze.  For being highly successful businessmen they sure seemed to let loose in this city and Lauren had to wonder what they were like out of this environment and in the boardrooms of their respective companies.  

“You ladies ready to have some fun?”  Charles rubbed his hands together lightly and gave them big smile with a not-so-subtle leer as he appreciated their presence.  Tamsin snorted and gave him a bored look.  “I will be when we get there.”  It was said with a biting tone and Charles just laughed as he nodded and faced forward in the cart.  

Truth be told Lauren was really apprehensive about whatever she’d encounter on the other side of the doors when they opened but she was good at hiding this nervousness.  Being accustomed to showing no outward signs of concern she just stared ahead with a patient smile on her face.  “I’m fine Tamsin.  Now relax and let’s have some fun?”

Tamsin raised an eyebrow and just nodded as the cart dinged letting them know they’d arrived at the penthouse suite.  The Red Rock’s piece de resistance was their luxury suite offering wrap around views of the property and beyond as almost all of the city was visible from the bright lights of the busy Las Vegas strip on one side and the beautiful Red Rock Canyon on the other.   The foursome used the key to enter the suite and Lauren’s jaw hit the floor when she finally laid eyes on the debauchery that Tamsin and Doug had been referring to.

She wasn’t sure if it was the dimmed lights or the loud music pulsing through the speakers or more likely the assortment of half naked men and women loitering around the luxury accommodations but Lauren wasn’t sure if she’d walked into an upscale party or a strip club. Everywhere she turned Lauren saw nothing but the sex, drugs and rock-n-roll lifestyle and for a brief moment she wondered if they were in the wrong place.

A young gentlemen approached the group and offered a tray filled with what Lauren could only assume we're various types of drugs ranging from prescription narcotics to those found on the streets in various dark alleys being sold by the notorious drug dealers.  They ran rampant in this city because if cash is king then they ran all of Las Vegas outside of the conglomerate casinos and resorts that lined Las Vegas Boulevard.

"Party favors?"

Tamsin rolled her eyes and pushed past him a little. "Maybe later dude."

She guided Lauren a little further into the suite and the guys followed closely behind them.  The group was immediately greeted by a few ladies that Lauren thought would make Hugh Hefner himself blush and she looked in amazement as they sauntered up to the two men in their group obviously being familiar with them.  A tall brunette slid up to Lauren and put one hand lightly on her shoulder as she smiled down at the doctor.

“Hey gorgeous, is there anything I can get for you?”

Lauren was kind of stuck as she took in the obvious beauty of this woman and perhaps moreso the obvious intent of the question the lady was asking.  Tamsin smirked slightly as she watched Lauren struggle a bit with the woman and even Charles leaned over and put his hand on Lauren’s forearm to help her out a little.  “Relax doctor and enjoy yourself.  It’s Vegas baby…”  He gave her a sleazy wink as he and Doug walked away with the women who had greeted them leaving Lauren and Tamsin to stand there a little awkwardly.  Tamsin finally gave in and took the lead as she motioned for Lauren to follow her further into the suite.  The brunette seemed to be comfortable tagging along and when Lauren and Tamsin took a seat on one of the plush couches near the balcony exit the brunette sat down next to Lauren so close that she was almost in her lap.  Tamsin laughed at Lauren’s startled face and just nodded appreciatively as a blonde sat down next to her being sure to sit as close as possible to her without being in her lap.  

It wasn’t that Lauren was exactly innocent when it came to establishments that catered to fantasies or what not but she’d never been in a place where it was so in your face and with seemingly no boundaries to be crossed.  She looked around the room and could make out a few other guests that were swarmed with the half naked women and men alike and she knew whatever was going on was only getting started.  Across the room Lauren watched a young man snort what she had to assume was coke and she shook her head knowing this was not the scene for her.

“So are you here on business or pleasure?”

Lauren looked at the brunette to her right with a somewhat offended look and shrugged.  When Tamsin had teased her with that line a few days ago it was just that, a joke, but hearing it come from this woman who was obviously there to please her she felt a little dirty.  “I’m just here on vacation.”  She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to converse with this woman but her good grooming and upbringing wouldn’t let her be rude.

The brunette took the response as a good sign and nodded as she crossed her legs towards Lauren letting her foot rub on Lauren’s shin lightly.  “Well how are you enjoying the city so far?”

Lauren looked at her like she was crazy and she was racking her brain trying to figure out how to get out of this politely.  She glanced over at Tamsin for help but she rolled her eyes as the blonde now sitting in Tamsin’s lap now had her full attention.  Lauren glanced back at the brunette who was giving her a patient smile and she shook her head as she leaned in so that the girl could hear her clearly.  “I’m sorry I think you have the wrong idea here.  I’m not interested, but thank you though.”

The brunette just shrugged and nodded.  “Okay, if you change your mind you know where to find me sweetheart.”

“I think she’s fine.”

The pair snapped to the voice that had appeared next to them and Lauren almost breathed a sigh of relief as Sloan stood there looking down at them with a trace of anger on her face.  Lauren wondered what that was about as she watched the brunette who was sitting next to her get up slowly.  “Sorry Sloan, I was just keeping her company.”  
Sloan nodded and didn’t take her eyes off of Lauren.  “Well she doesn’t need your company.”

The brunette just nodded as she walked off leaving Sloan and Lauren to their staring contest.  Not even Tamsin had noticed Sloan’s appearance and after a disgusted glance in her direction Sloan reached down and took Lauren’s hand lightly pulling her up and towards the exit.  She found herself fuming that not only had Bo invited her to the party but more importantly that her so called friend was basically leaving her unattended and all she could think about was getting her out of there as soon as possible.  

“Hey, where are you going?”

Bo stopped the pair who were headed to the exit and Sloan glared down at her with an annoyed frown.  “I’m doing what you asked.”

Not giving Bo time to answer she pulled Lauren towards the exit throwing open the door leading to the small entrance way angrily.  

“Woah!”

Kenzi had almost gotten knocked on her ass as the door opened and Sloan barely said anything as she brushed past the petite woman towards the elevator.  There were about five agents with Kenzi all dressed in riot gear and suddenly Lauren had a bad feeling about the party that her friend was still attending.  

Kenzie eyed the pair suspiciously as it was quite convenient that they were escaping just as she was about to make her bust but at the moment she decided not to question it.  All these years Sloan had never surfaced as a person of interest in her investigation and she'd done about as thorough a background check as possible on the brunette and nothing came up negative.  The girl was genuine and clean and it always puzzled Kenzi as to why she hung out with Bo and her crew.

"Leaving so soon ladies?"

Either she didn't notice the men with Kenzi or she didn't care but Sloan just grunted. "Fresh air."  She continued pulling Lauren along and Kenzi held up her hand indicating to the men with her that it was okay to let them go.  They would only be collateral damage and right now the petite agent only had one thing in mind.

Lauren tried to stop Sloan who was pulling her onto the elevator with some authority.  “Wait...why is Kenzi here?”

Sloan shrugged and hit the button for the lobby.  “I don’t know and at this point I don’t care.”

Lauren looked at her curiously.  “Where are we going Sloan?”

The taller brunette sighed as she finally dropped Lauren’s hand and leaned back against the cart door.  “I don’t know...but it’s better than being in there.”

Lauren glanced up at the numbers at the top of the cart hoping that whatever was going on up there wouldn’t end badly for Tamsin.

ooOOoo

“What the fuck is this?”

Bo looked around in confusion as the agents and Kenzi entered the room and turned on the lights.  All of the partygoers started to panic as did the male and female escorts scattered throughout the room.  Kenzi knew she could bust most of them for something illegal but luckily for them her sights weren’t on them.  No, she was here for Bo Dennis and she finally had the proof she needed to put the woman away for a long, long time.

“Kenzi Malikov, Nevada Gaming Commission. Play time is over people.  Unless you'd like to acquire a new piece of jewelry that comes in a fabulous shade of law enforcement metal I suggest you leave. NOW.” Kenzi held up her credentials for Bo to see and the brunette host looked confused as to who the people with her were.  Looking around Kenzi had to laugh to herself as she took in the chaos that was happening.  She could see the drugs and alcohol now cast aside as people made a frantic move to the exit and she was pretty certain that if she wandered down the halls to the bedrooms she'd find more than just drugs being paid for.  

A couple of the escorts gave her an uneasy look and Kenzi knew she'd seen them loitering around the upscale casinos looking for easy targets for the night.  It never ceases to amaze her how many prostitutes and escorts mingled with the tourists on a daily basis but as Doug had explained to her it was simple. Tourists have loads of money, some more than other, and they all come to this city expecting to blow it.  These girls and guys are there to help them do just that and in turn have a story to take back with them about how they'd scored with a hot piece of ass in Sin City.  Of course that's assuming you ended up with one of the cleaner ones but they don't come cheap. This city, like most major cities in this country follows a simple motto: nothing is too much and everything is always for sale. Right price, right person and you can live like royalty for a few days and it seemed Bo Dennis was bringing this experience to her clients first hand.

“I don’t understand.”  Bo was glaring at Kenzi as she ignored the confusion around her and she wondered just what the fuck the supposed young international businesswoman was really up to.  She normally vetted her clients a little better when first meeting them but it seemed okay at the time as two of her biggest clients had vouched for the young woman that night at the poker game.  Bo turned to look at the two guys she'd spent years building a rapport with and her jaw dropped as they both took shields out of their pockets.

“Doug Johnson, FBI.”

“Charles Robinson, DEA.”

Bo just glared at the two men who were approaching her from behind both holding their credentials up for her to see.  She had no clue as to what was going on and she was starting to panic internally as she looked at the three of them.  “What the fuck are you doing here?”

Kenzi smirked as she looked at Bo with a triumphant smile.  “We are here to close out a five year long investigation Ms. Dennis.  Seems you not only operate illegal gaming activities but you also condone illegal activity that our friends at the agencies have taken interest in.”

Bo looked around and shook her head.  “This is bullshit.”

Doug laughed.  “No Ms. Dennis, this is retribution.  And I have to say, for being a host you sure don’t know your clients very well.”

Bo gave him an astonished look as Kenzi rattled off a list of charges they were bringing against the casino host including possession and distribution of illegal substances, running a prostitution circle, illegal gambling activities, extortion and aiding and abetting known criminals.  Apparently Bo’s shady past was more colorful than even Tamsin had realized and when she heard the laundry list of things brought against Bo she understood why Kenzi had been so cautious about going after Bo Dennis.  These were not charges to be taken lightly so the conversation she’d had with Kenzi about being sure the agent had concrete evidence now made much more sense.

Tamsin had finally snapped to attention and jumped up when Kenzi had burst into the room.  She was standing a little behind Bo and looking around in confusion as well.  “Kenzi?  What the hell?”

The petite woman looked at her with a smile.  “Tamsin, thanks for all your help.”

Bo turned and looked at Tamsin with an evil glare.  “You sold me out?”

Tamsin shrugged as she watched Charles put handcuffs on Bo.  “You sold yourself out Bo.  You’re a whore and now you’re finally getting your dues.”

Bo growled as she glared at Tamsin and the rest of the group in turn.  “I’ll get out of this soon enough and you all better be sure you are long fucking gone.  I won’t spend any time in jail and when I’m released I’m coming for all of you.  Believe that.”

Kenzi laughed and looked at her in annoyance.  “You not only will do time Bo Dennis but I’m going to personally make sure you never do business in this state again.”

Bo rolled her eyes and looked at Kenzi with amusement.  “Good luck stopping me.  I own this fucking city.”

Kenzi laughed in her face as she looked her up and down slowly.  “No you don’t.  I do, now get her out of here.”

The agents hauled Bo out of the room and continued to usher the guests and escorts out of the suite.  It seems it was their lucky day and Tamsin approached Kenzi cautiously not knowing if she was also on the hit list for the busts that night.  “So, what now?”

Kenzi looked at her and gave her a soft sigh.  “Now nothing.  You go back to making sure your business deals are all above board and I’d stay out of illegal activities of any kind.”

Tamsin glanced at her and Charles and Doug quickly.  “And Bo?”

Doug shrugged.  “She’ll get hers.  Have a good day Tamsin.”

They walked off leaving her in the suite with the rest of the agents and she quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket sending a text as she walked towards the elevator not sure what really just happened back there.

ooOOoo

Where are you?

Lauren snorted as she looked at the text she’d just received.  Something big had gone down just now but luckily she’d avoided it all when Sloan had pulled her out of the suite.  The pair were currently seated in the lobby area having a coffee and not saying anything.  A loud commotion behind them caught their attention and Sloan shook her head as she saw Bo being led out of the hotel in handcuffs.

“What the hell happened?”

Lauren seemed more concerned than Sloan that Bo was being arrested and the brunette just shrugged as she sipped her coffee.  “Don’t know, and don’t care.”

Lauren looked at her with surprise. “No?”

Sloan sighed and looked at Lauren with a small smile.  “I think Bo finally stepped in it.  And I have to say I’m not surprised.”

Lauren sat back and sighed softly.  “Are you sure?”

Sloan nodded as she looked at the blonde carefully.  “Bo’s always been up to something, I guess that all finally caught up with her.”

Lauren nodded and sipped her own coffee thoughtfully.  “Thank you Sloan.”

The brunette looked surprised.  “For what?”

Lauren shrugged.  “For tonight, for this week.”

Sloan looked surprised as she kind of shrugged it off.  “I’m just sorry you got caught up in all of this.  I didn’t think Bo would go to that extreme with you.”

Lauren laughed and nodded.  “I guess things aren’t as they seemed eh?”

Sloan laughed and nodded.  “I guess not?”

The pair shared a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Tamsin approached them somewhat angrily.  “So this is where you two snuck off to.”

Sloan looked up at her and growled.  “I was surprised you didn’t get shipped off in hardware also.”

Tamsin ignored her as she looked at Lauren cautiously.  “You okay Lauren?”

The doctor looked up at her with a small smile.  “I’m fine Tamsin.  Sloan and I were just talking.”

Tamsin nodded and looked at them with uncertainty before sighing.  “Okay well I’m going to head out. Do you want me to get you back to your hotel Lauren?”

The doctor looked at her then over at Sloan who seemed to be watching the exchange with some interest.  She shook her head and gave her a small smile.  “I’m okay here Tamsin.  Thank you though.”

Tamsin raised an eyebrow and looked at Sloan carefully.  “You sure?”

Sloan sat up a little and cleared her throat.  “She’ll be fine Tamsin.  Goodnight.”

Taking the hint the blonde just nodded at the pair before turning to walk away.  She knew Lauren had done more than just made a decision about accepting her ride home just then.  It was a decision to basically pick Sloan over her and Tamsin wasn’t sure how she felt about that.  It wasn’t a contest as she wasn’t interested in a romantic relationship with the doctor but it did bother her somewhat that Lauren’s attention was elsewhere.

“You sure you don’t want to leave with her?”  Sloan motioned towards Tamsin’s retreating form and gave Lauren an uncertain look as she waited for the doctor to respond.  

Lauren glanced briefly at Tamsin’s retreating form before turning back to Sloan with a small smile.  She couldn’t deny her feelings any longer as she’d felt more with Sloan in these five days than she’d felt in all the years with Nadia and any other person she’d dated.  Granted she’d only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of the real person that Sloan was but she could already tell she was a good person and could be trusted.  Lauren smiled as she reached over and put her hand lightly on Sloan’s that was resting on the table.  “I’m where I want to be.”

Sloan smiled goofily and nodded as she made no move to extract her hand from Lauren’s.  She let the warm feeling rush over her slowly and she relaxed under the blonde’s gentle touch.  It had been a long time since anyone had affected her this way and she knew she’d found something special in Lauren Lewis.  

The pair finished their coffee before Sloan made good on her word and got Lauren back to her hotel safely.  The night ended with a simple kiss between the pair but Lauren had already promised to return shortly and the pair made plans to get together when she did so.  Truth be told both were trying to figure out how to make this seemingly long distance relationship work and Lauren was certain she would be seeing much more of Sloan Sabbith regardless if it was in Las Vegas or in Los Angeles.  It made her feel like a giddy schoolgirl to think about the tall brunette and as she fell asleep that night she took comfort in the pair of warm brown eyes that consumed her thoughts and dreams.  It had been an eventful trip and Lauren finally understood the expression that if luck really was a lady that karma was definitely a bitch.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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